Boutwell Memorial Auditorium is a 5,000-seat multi-purpose

arena An arena is a large enclosed platform, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators ...

located in

Birmingham, Alabama Birmingham ( ) is a city in the north central region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Birmingham is the seat of Jefferson County, Alabama's most populous county. As of the 2021 census estimates, Birmingham had a population of 197,575, down 1% fr ...

. It was built in 1924 as Birmingham's Municipal Auditorium, on a site near City Hall, facing Capitol Park (now Linn Park). The building was designed by

Thomas W. Lamb Thomas White Lamb (May 5th, 1870 – February 26th, 1942) was a Scottish-born, American architect. He was one of the foremost designers of theaters and cinemas in the 20th century. Career Born in Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom, Thomas W. La ...

, working with a committee of local architects. A later renovation added to the lobby and meeting room space in front of the brick facade, giving the street view of the auditorium a decidedly modernist marble, aluminum and glass look. The auditorium was renamed for Mayor

Albert Boutwell Albert Burton Boutwell (November 13, 1904 – February 3, 1978) was the 19th Lieutenant Governor of Alabama. A Democrat, Boutwell served Governor John Malcolm Patterson of the same political party, from 1959 until 1963. Early life and educatio ...

. The auditorium remains the property of the city. It was home to the

Birmingham Power The Birmingham Power was one of the original franchises of the National Women's Basketball League (NWBL). Based in Birmingham, Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United S ...

basketball team. Master plans for the future of the

Birmingham Museum of Art The Birmingham Museum of Art is a museum in Birmingham, Alabama. It has one of the most extensive collections of artwork in the Southeastern United States, with more than 24,000 paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings, and decorative arts repres ...

, which adjoins Boutwell Auditorium, have included expanding onto its current site. The interior of the facility includes seating in a horseshoe shape with a stage at the end opposite a balcony. The venue is multi-purpose and can be configured to suit athletic events, theatre and other events. In 2022, the auditorium hosted

muay thai Muay Thai ( th, มวยไทย, , ), sometimes referred to as Thai boxing, is a combat sport that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. This discipline is known as the "art of eight limbs", as it is characterised ...

sumo wrestling is a form of competitive full-contact wrestling where a ''rikishi'' (wrestler) attempts to force his opponent out of a circular ring (''dohyō'') or into touching the ground with any body part other than the soles of his feet (usually by thr ...

, and

kickboxing Kickboxing is a combat sports, combat sport focused on kicking and punch (strike), punching. The combat takes place in a boxing ring, normally with boxing gloves, mouthguards, shorts, and bare feet to favour the use of kicks. Kickboxing is pract ...

events as part of the

2022 World Games The 2022 World Games were an international multi-sport event held from July 7 to 17, 2022, in Birmingham, Alabama, United States. They were the 11th World Games, a multi-sport event featuring disciplines of Olympic sports and other competitions ...

References

External links

Boutwell Auditorium official page
nbsp;— City of Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham Wiki
1924 establishments in Alabama World Games muaythai venues Basketball venues in Alabama Indoor arenas in Alabama Sports venues in Birmingham, Alabama Thomas W. Lamb buildings {{Alabama-sports-venue-stub