Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall


The Shrine Auditorium is a landmark large-event venue in Los Angeles, California. It is also the headquarters of the Al Malaikah Temple, a division of the Shriners. It was designated a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 1975, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.

History

Opened on January 23, 1926, the current Shrine Auditorium replaced an earlier 1906 Al Malaikah Temple which had been destroyed by a fire on January 11, 1920. The fire gutted the structure in just 30 minutes, and nearly killed six firefighters in the process.
In the late 1960s, the Shrine was referred to as "The Pinnacle" by the audiences of rock concerts.
In 2002, the auditorium underwent a $15 million renovation that upgraded the stage with state-of-the-art lighting and rigging systems, and included new roofing and air conditioning for both the Auditorium and Expo Center, modernized concession stands, additional restrooms, repainting of the Expo Center, and a new performance plaza and parking garage. The entire complex follows a Moroccan architectural motif.

Building

The new auditorium was designed in the Moorish Revival style by San Francisco-based theater architect G. Albert Lansburgh, with local architects John C. Austin and Abram M. Edelman associated. When built, the auditorium could hold 1,200 people on stage and seat an audience of 6,442.
The Shrine Auditorium seats approximately 6,300 people and has a stage wide and deep.
The Auditorium features two boxes above the orchestra level holding 40 people each and seven loges on the balcony holding between 36 and 47 seats each. Of the remaining seats, 2,964 are on the orchestra level and 2,982 on the balcony level.
Adjacent to the Auditorium is the Shrine Exposition Hall. This is a multi-purpose event facility. It features of exhibit and meeting space—34,000 in the main level and 20,000 in an open mezzanine. The Exposition Hall has a capacity of 5,000 patrons. Trade shows, banquets, conventions and electronic music festivals, among other events, have been held there.

Notable events

The Shrine Auditorium has hosted a number of events, mainly for entertainment:
EventDate
Academy Awards1947–48, 1988–1989, 1991, 1995, 1997–1998, 2000–2001
Academy of Country Music Awards1978, 1981
American Music Awards1982–2006
BET Awards2006–2012
Grammy Awards1978–1980, 1982–1987, 1989–1990, 1993, 1995–1996, 1999
iHeartRadio Music Awards2014–2015, 2022
Miss Universe2006
MTV Movie & TV Awards2001–2003, 2005, 2017
My VH1 Music Awards2000–2001
NAACP Image Awards2006–2013
People's Choice Awards2001–2003, 2006–2009
Primetime Emmy Awards1998–2000, 2002–2007
Screen Actors Guild Awards1998–2020, 2024, 2025
Soul Train Music Awards1989–2001
Teen Choice Awards2014

DateEvent
For 33 yearsHome court for the USC's Trojans basketball team
BrieflySome playoff games of the Los Angeles Lakers
January 7, 2025WWE NXT: New Year's Evil

DateFilmDescription
January 27, 1984Pepsi commercialMichael Jackson's hair was accidentally set on fire by the pyrotechnics. He suffered second-degree burns on his scalp as a result.

DateGameDescription
Midnight Club: Los AngelesPart of the South Central Map Expansion.
2023Valorant2023 Valorant Champions