Opened in 1932, The War Memorial was built as "a great community center" dedicated to the memory of the soldiers and sailors from Mercer County who died fighting World War I. The building is a National and State Historic Site. The aim of the founding War Memorial Committee was to combine "beauty, dignity, and civic utility." The building houses an 1,807-seat, fully-equipped theater for performances and assemblies, and also a number of stately rooms for other purposes such as meeting and conferences. The War Memorial is owned by The State of New Jersey and operated by The NJ Department of State.