The Shrine Auditorium has stood near the University of Southern California campus in Los Angeles since 1926, its Moorish Revival domes and arches making it one of the city’s most recognizable performance landmarks. Designed by theater architect G. Albert Lansburgh, the building was constructed for the Al Malaikah Shrine Temple and quickly grew into one of the largest and most ornate auditoriums in the country.
Beyond its architectural pedigree, the Shrine has become synonymous with Hollywood’s biggest nights. It has hosted the Academy Awards, Grammy Awards, Emmy Awards, and BET Awards over the decades, while also welcoming touring musicians from Elvis Presley to Radiohead. Today the venue operates under promoter Goldenvoice, hosting concerts, ceremonies, and film premieres inside its massive proscenium stage and adjoining Expo Hall.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Los Angeles, California (University Park, near USC)
- Type: Auditorium and event hall
- Opened: January 23, 1926
- Capacity: About 6,300 seats (Auditorium); Expo Hall holds around 5,000
- Architect: G. Albert Lansburgh
- Famous for: Hosting the Academy Awards, Grammy Awards, and Emmy Awards
A Stage Built for Spectacle
The Shrine’s auditorium features what is often cited as the largest proscenium-style stage with a freestanding balcony in North America, a scale that made it a natural home for televised award shows needing room for orchestras, elaborate sets, and packed audiences. Its Moorish Revival exterior, with domes, minarets, and horseshoe arches, sets it apart from the more streamlined movie palaces built elsewhere in Los Angeles during the same era.
The complex also includes the Shrine Expo Hall, a large flexible event space added later that has been used for concerts, trade shows, and film shoots, expanding the venue’s role beyond formal ceremonies into general-purpose entertainment programming.
From Old Hollywood to Modern Concerts
Through the mid-20th century, the Shrine became a go-to venue for the Academy Awards and other major broadcasts before those ceremonies moved to dedicated theaters. It also built a rich concert history, hosting Elvis Presley’s early Los Angeles performances in the 1950s and multiple Grateful Dead shows in the late 1960s.
In recent years, promoter Goldenvoice has booked the Shrine for touring acts and reunion shows, including a widely noted My Chemical Romance concert in 2019. The building has also hosted movie premieres, including for major studio releases, keeping it active as both a historic landmark and a working entertainment venue.
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Shrine Auditorium FAQs
When did the Shrine Auditorium open?
The Shrine Auditorium opened on January 23, 1926, in the University Park neighborhood of Los Angeles.
How many people does the Shrine Auditorium hold?
The main auditorium seats about 6,300 people, while the adjoining Expo Hall can hold around 5,000 patrons for standing events.
What awards shows have been held at the Shrine Auditorium?
The Shrine has hosted the Academy Awards, Grammy Awards, Emmy Awards, SAG Awards, and BET Awards, among other major ceremonies.
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Photo: Stephanie Kemna / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.