Murphy Auditorium Description
The John B. Murphy Memorial Auditorium was built in 1926 by the American College of Surgeons as a memorial to Dr. John Murphy (1857-1916), one of its founding members and an innovator in the field. The Auditorium was designed by Marshall & Fox, who also designed Chicago’s Drake Hotel.
Modeled after the Chappelle de Notre-Dame de Consolation (1901) in Paris, the exterior reflects the Baroque Revival style popular at the turn of the last century. Among the Auditorium’s most notable features are its gracious interior space embellished with classical details and gold decorative flourishes, its soaring dome, its historic stained-glass windows, and the Tiffany Studios-fabricated bronze front doors, which feature a series of panels of prominent figures in medical history.
The Driehaus Museum acquired the Auditorium in 2022 as part of its campus. The Auditorium offers a dynamic venue that can accommodate various event styles and setups. The space can accommodate 250 for a large, seated dinner, 330 for a reception, and 530 for a seated lecture style event. The venue has its own built-in elevated stage and balcony level seating. The venue is complete with a catering kitchen, spacious coat room, catering elevator, and is accessible via elevator.