Fronting Lincoln Square are five large bronze doors and eight monumental Doric columns, above which is inscribed, "To honor the services in war of her sons and daughters and to nourish in peace their spirit of sacrifice, a grateful city erected this building."

The Aud is five stories high and contains five architectural zones: the auditorium (which contains a proscenium 116 feet wide[1]), the Shrine of the Immortal war memorial, the Little Theater, the north and south-wing chambers, and the basement.

A dedication ceremony took place on September 26, 1933, during which the Aud was declared "an enduring tribute to those whose sacrifice was sublime, a majestic memorial for the use and benefit of many generations".

Concerts, basketball games, high school and college graduations, fundraisers, and election day polling all took place in the main hall.

Before the Hart Center opened in 1975, the building was home to both the Bay State Bombardiers of the Continental Basketball Association and the Holy Cross Crusaders, whose young star, Bob Cousy, played often on the auditorium court.

Occasional organ performances took place through 2016, until a burst pipe the following winter caused significant damage to the auditorium floor and rendered the space unfit for public use.

Under the pending agreement, AHF would purchase the property for $450,000 by June 2021 and subsequently undertake a $94 million project to redevelop the building as an educational and cultural center connected to the digital economy.

The auditorium would be outfitted for competitive gaming, esports competitions, and performances; the Little Theatre converted into an IMAX-style venue suitable for entertainment and educational events by local institutions; the memorial hall rehabilitated as a high-quality restaurant; and the other interior spaces redeveloped as digital innovation labs, green rooms, game rooms, lounges, and offices.

[12] Previous ideas for Aud included the relocation of the Higgins Armory building, the creation of a Faneuil Hall-style marketplace, and the establishment of a research center that would have been proximate to Worcester Polytechnic Institute's Gateway Park.