Peoria Civic Center
Architect: Philip Johnson
Soon after it was completed in 1982, the Peoria Civic Center became an integral part of Peoria’s dynamic community.
At the time, building the Civic Center was a strategic leap of faith that was based on forward-thinking projections of Peoria.
In the end, the Civic Center proved so vital that it has welcomed guests for decades to events as diverse as musical theatre performances, concerts, sporting events, and conventions. It was even modernized and expanded in 2007.
The Civic Center was designed by architectural genius Philip Johnson, who was awarded the Pritzker prize. The atrium walkway design’s audacious angles make a bold statement about the innovative history of this region, and its adventurous shapes continue to make daring claims for the future of Central Illinois.
As we return to large gatherings, the Center will pulse once again with performances by the Bradley Braves, Illinois Broadway, the Peoria Symphony Orchestra, and renowned concert headliners, along with conventions and meetings.
The location of the Civic Center is also a place of community pride for the Peoria region. The underground railroad ran through the home of Lucy and Moses Pettengill, whose home stood here from 1836-1862.
Later, the Jefferson Hotel stood on this ground before making way for the Civic Center.
