The Morse Auditorium, officially the Alfred L. Morse Auditorium, is a domed

theater Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors to present experiences of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The performers may communi ...

that was built as a

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

synagogue A synagogue, also called a shul or a temple, is a place of worship for Jews and Samaritans. It is a place for prayer (the main sanctuary and sometimes smaller chapels) where Jews attend religious services or special ceremonies such as wed ...

, that is now owned by

Boston University Boston University (BU) is a Private university, private research university in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. BU was founded in 1839 by a group of Boston Methodism, Methodists with its original campus in Newbury (town), Vermont, Newbur ...

and used as an

auditorium An auditorium is a room built to enable an audience to hear and watch performances. For movie theaters, the number of auditoriums is expressed as the number of screens. Auditoriums can be found in entertainment venues, community halls, and t ...

. Built in 1906 as Temple Israel, the edifice was intended by the

architect An architect is a person who plans, designs, and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

and

congregation Congregation may refer to: Religion *Church (congregation), a religious organization that meets in a particular location *Congregation (Roman Curia), an administrative body of the Catholic Church *Religious congregation, a type of religious instit ...

as a replica of Solomon's Temple. Boston University acquired the building in 1967 when the congregation moved. In 1971, the building was named in honor of BU benefactor Alfred L. Morse, who was a member of the BU Board of Trustees from 1968 to 1973. The building is currently used for large lectures, events, and talks. The building is clad in white

marble Marble is a metamorphic rock consisting of carbonate minerals (most commonly calcite (CaCO3) or Dolomite (mineral), dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2) that have recrystallized under the influence of heat and pressure. It has a crystalline texture, and is ty ...

and today much of it is covered in

vine A vine is any plant with a growth habit of trailing or scandent (that is, climbing) stems, lianas, or runners. The word ''vine'' can also refer to such stems or runners themselves, for instance, when used in wicker work.Jackson; Benjamin; Da ...

. It was intended by the architect and congregation to be a replica of the Temple of Solomon. The building is adjacent to the Physics Research Building (PRB), Metcalf Science Center (SCI), and the Boston University College of Communication (COM).

References

External links

* * Buildings at Boston University Former synagogues in Massachusetts Buildings and structures completed in 1906 1906 establishments in Massachusetts {{Massachusetts-religious-struct-stub