Irvine Auditorium, Philadelphia

Irvine Auditorium, located on Spruce Street within the University of Pennsylvania's campus in Philadelphia, is a performance venue with a rich history. Designed by the renowned Philadelphia architect Horace Trumbauer, the auditorium was constructed between 1926 and 1932. One of its standout features is the Curtis Organ, boasting nearly 11,000 pipes, making it the world's 22nd-largest pipe organ in terms of ranks. Originally built for the Sesquicentennial Exposition in 1926, it was generously donated to the university in 1928. The auditorium officially opened its doors in May 1929.

There's an enduring but inaccurate campus legend surrounding Irvine Auditorium. According to this story, the building was the brainchild of a Penn architecture student whose design project received a failing grade. He subsequently abandoned his architectural aspirations and ventured into business, eventually amassing a fortune. Many years later, he made a substantial bequest to the university in his will, but with the condition that his original project be brought to life.

The seating capacity of Irvine Auditorium currently stands at 1,260, though it used to accommodate 1,976 people prior to a renovation. The auditorium's design is octagonal, featuring side balconies that once faced each other at right angles to the stage. In a significant restoration and renovation effort spanning from 1997 to 2000, Venturi, Scott Brown & Associates, Inc. removed these side balconies. This not only enhanced the acoustic quality of the venue but also created more intimate performance spaces within the building.