Santa Monica Civic Auditorium

The Santa Monica Civic Auditorium is a convention center and movie theater in Santa Monica, California, spanning more than a thousand square meters with a main hall whose floor adjusts hydraulically. The facility includes a glass curtain wall beneath a cantilevered canopy supported by curved concrete columns.

Welton Becket designed the structure in 1958 with an innovative reinforced concrete roof. Between 1961 and 1968, the annual Academy Awards ceremony took place here before moving to other venues.

The architect conceived the venue with parabolic concrete pylons that still define its appearance today. The building continues to carry the signature of the 1950s, when large public structures were often shaped with geometric lines and wide canopies.

The building once seated three thousand people for concerts and gatherings, but operations have been suspended since 2013 due to funding shortages. Visitors interested in the exterior architecture can view the site from public pathways at any time.

George Carlin recorded his album Class Clown here in 1972, capturing a live performance that later became one of his most recognized works. The land beneath the auditorium once formed part of Belmar, the first African American neighborhood in Santa Monica.

Location: Santa Monica

Inception: 1958

Architects: Welton Becket

Address: 1855 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401

Website: https://smgov.net/departments/ccs/civicauditorium

GPS coordinates: 34.00890,-118.48900

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:31