RLDS Auditorium
| The Auditorium | |
 |
|
| Former names | RLDS Auditorium |
|---|---|
| Location | 1001 W. Walnut, Independence, Missouri |
| Owner | Community of Christ |
| Capacity | 6,000 |
| Field size | 214 feet (65 m)x 168 feet (51 m); 92 feet (28 m) floor to roof (conference center); 114 feet (35 m) to top of dome |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1926 |
| Opened | 1958 |
| Tenants | |
| Community of Christ | |
Coordinates: 39°05′26″N 94°25′32″W / 39.090434°N 94.42547°W
The Auditorium (formerly the RLDS Auditorium) is a house of worship and office building located on the greater Temple Lot in Independence, Missouri. The Auditorium is part of the headquarters complex of the Community of Christ which also includes the Independence Temple.
Construction of the Auditorium was a major undertaking, illustrating the vision of church Prophet/President Frederick M. Smith who provided the building's inspiration. Ground was broken in 1926 and the building was finally completed in 1958. Smith's plans for the Conference chamber were originally about 66% larger than when it was finished. Construction was virtually halted during the Great Depression when the church struggled under a massive debt.
The Auditorium houses an Aeolian-Skinner pipe organ with 113 ranks and 6,334 pipes. The Auditorium Organ includes an antiphonal console and pipes in the rear balcony of the oval chamber. It is listed as one of the 75 largest pipe organs in the world.
The Children's Peace Pavilion, located in the Auditorium, was established in 1995 to pursue its mission of "Enriching the lives of children through the pursuit of peace for all." It attracts visitors each year to a number of exhibits designed to teach concepts of personal peace, social peace, international peace, and environmental peace to children ages 5 through 11. It is frequently used as a destination for elementary school field trips for students in the greater Kansas City area. Local Girl Scouts may also earn Girl Scouts of the USA insignia through a partnership with Children's Peace Pavilion. As an independent 501(c)3 charitable organization, Children's Peace Pavilion is governed by an independent board of directors.
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