Memorial Church at Harvard installs updated listening technology

Located on the campus of Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Memorial Church serves as a diverse, central gathering place, bringing together students, faculty, staff and the broader community for worship and major university events. With seating for approximately 1,500 attendees, it hosts weekly worship services, morning prayers and major university events, including convocations and commencement ceremonies.

With the evolving role of the church, leadership identified an important opportunity: the sanctuary did not have an assistive listening system in place. “We wanted to ensure that everyone who enters this space can fully participate,” the facilities team shared. “Accessibility is part of creating a welcoming and inclusive environment.”

The physical characteristics of the sanctuary made it challenging to deliver clear, intelligible audio to every seat. Any solution would also need to respect the architectural integrity of the space remaining discreet within the church’s clean, minimalist interior. The facilities also wanted a forward-looking solution that could serve today’s congregation while adapting to future needs. The church explored potential solutions with The Henderson Company, which worked closely with leadership to evaluate technologies that could meet both accessibility and aesthetic requirements.

“A project like this is about more than just audio coverage,” said John Beaudette, rep principal and sales director of The Henderson Company. “It’s about understanding how people experience the space and finding a solution that supports that experience both functionally and visually.”

The team selected an Auracast broadcast audio system, recognising its ability to deliver audio directly to personal devices such as hearing aids, earbuds and headphones. Infinium was ultimately chosen for its flexibility and ease of integration with the church’s existing AV system, supporting multiple audio streams and allowing the church to expand its offerings over time such as providing multilingual audio. Parsons Audio was responsible for installation, ensuring consistent audio coverage throughout the sanctuary while keeping transmitters discreet within the architectural environment.

With the new system in place, Memorial Church now offers a modern, inclusive listening experience for its congregation. By adopting Auracast technology, Memorial Church has established a scalable platform for the future; one that supports accessibility today while enabling new ways to connect with its congregation in the years ahead.