Santa Monica Civic Auditorium
Encyclopedia
Convention center
A convention center is a large building that is designed to hold a convention, where individuals and groups gather to promote and share common interests. Convention centers typically offer sufficient floor area to accommodate several thousand attendees...
in Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
owned by the City of Santa Monica. It was built in 1958 and designed by Welton Becket
Welton Becket
Welton Becket was an architect who designed many buildings in Los Angeles, California.Becket was born in Seattle, Washington and graduated from the University of Washington program in Architecture in 1927 with a Bachelor of Architecture degree .He settled in Los Angeles in 1933 and formed a...
.
For trade shows, the Civic Auditorium features 11,775 square feet (1,094 m²) of space, while the stage adds 4,485 square feet (417 m²) more space, for a total of 16,260 square feet (1,511 m²). The East Wing meeting room adds even more space — 4,200 square feet (390 m²) of space, while the main lobby features 6,708 square feet (623 m²) of space.
The main hall of the Civic is adaptable for not only tradeshows, but also sporting events, concerts, meetings, awards shows and other events. As a concert venue it can seat 3,000, as a banquet hall 720 in tables, and as a sports arena
Arena
An arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
it can seat up to 2,500.
In 1964, the auditorium played host to the T.A.M.I. Show, a filmed concert. A former home of the Academy Awards
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
from 1961-1967, the Civic remains home to the Santa Monica Symphony Orchestra.