TEDxPhiladelphia 2015 will return to Temple Performing Arts Center, a Baptist Temple reborn as an exquisite 36,000 square foot performing arts venue. Located at 1837 North Broad Street on Temple University’s campus, the historic landmark has a long and storied history.
The building’s first function was as a Baptist Temple, built in 1891. Temple University founder Russell Conwell’s congregation hosted some of the country’s most prominent intellectual and political figures at the Temple, from civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. to President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Helen Keller. The building evolved into an educational facility to serve the local community, called Temple College, which in 1907 became Temple University, as we know it today. After sitting dormant for 30 years, the building underwent a full renovation in 2010, blending old architectural features with modern twists. The 2011 and 2013 TEDxPhiladelphia conferences were both held at Temple Performing Arts Center.