Madison Square Garden is round mainly due to architectural and functional design choices made for the current building, which opened in 1968. The rounded shape helps accommodate the diverse events hosted there, such as sports, concerts, and entertainment, providing better sightlines and acoustics for the audience. The name "Madison Square Garden" comes from its original location near Madison Square, but the current venue is no longer located there and is not square-shaped. The iconic round shape and ceiling were considered engineering marvels at the time of construction and make the arena recognizable in New York City's Midtown district.
