Take 5: Turning back the clock with Matthews Arena

Matthews Arena is an iconic part of Northeastern’s campus and Boston’s history. Today, the building hosts everything from Northeastern hockey and men’s basketball games to university events such as the annual President’s Convocation and the graduate commencement ceremony. Here are five things you may not know about its history:

  1. Opened in 1910, the arena is the world’s oldest multi-purpose athletic building and houses the world’s oldest artificial ice sheet.
  2. The arena has survived two fires, in 1918 and 1948.
  3. The Boston Bruins played their first home game there in 1924.
  4. The building hosted a presidential rally for Theodore Roosevelt in 1912 and another for Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932.
  5. The building was dedicated the George J. and Hope M. Matthews Arena on Nov. 14, 1982.

Learn more about Matthews Arena’s history here.