Theaters :: Movies
Theatre Organs :: Organ
History :: Theatre
Theaters :: Building Types

Allen Theatre, Cleveland, Ohio - Photographs of the movie theater built in 1921, from RineStock Studios.

American Picture Palaces - Illustrated history by the University of Virginia of the extravagant buildings that sprang up in the inter-war years to house the movies. Includes socio-economic background, guide to Art Deco.

404 Aztec On The River Theatre - The official site of this theater in San Antonio (US), opened in 1926 in a fantasy Meso-American style. Includes photographs and history.
Meta Description: [ The Aztec On The River is located on the famous San Antonio RiverWalk and provides a unique dining and entertainment experience for all ages. ]

Balaban and Katz Historical Foundation - Explores the contribution of the Balaban and Katz theater corporation to Chicago's cultural heritage.

Britannia Panopticon Music Hall Trust - Aims to save and reuse the music hall in Glasgow built in 1857 and designed by Thomas Gildard and H.M.McFarlane. Includes a photograph and history.

Carthalia - Andreas Praefcke's postcard collection of theatre buildings and concert halls worldwide. He provides notes on the history of some of the better-known ones.
Meta Description: [ CARTHALIA by Andreas Praefcke shows a collection of old and new postcards of exterior and interior views of theatres and concerts halls of all times worldwide ]

Cinema Treasures - Dedicated to saving classic movie theaters in the US. News, database, photographs, virtual tours and message boards. Also aims, founders, sponsors and volunteer staff of the web-site.
Meta Description: [ Non-profit website dedicated to saving classic movie theaters. Includes theater info, news, photographs, virtual tours, message boards, and more. ]

Drive In Theater - The American phenomenon which began in the 1930s: open-air cinemas, viewed from automobiles. An illustrated history and list of theaters both operating and closed.
Meta Description: [ List of operating theatres, history and more. ]

Fox Theatre Building, Detroit, Michigan - Designed by C. Howard Crane and built in 1928, it is the most exotic eclectic Hindu-Siamese-Byzantine theater of the golden age of the movie palace. Photographs, brief history.
Meta Description: [ History Arts & Libraries - 2111 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, Wayne County ]

Glasgow Cinemas - Stuart Neville explores the history of cinemas in Glasgow, Scotland, from the earliest cinemas. Illustrated with archive and new photographs, architect's plans and press advertisements.
Meta Description: [ Glasgow Cinemas - a history of cinemas in Glasgow Scotland illustrated with new and archive photographs, press ads and architect's drawings ]

Grand Vision Foundation - A non-profit organization to preserve and promote the Warner Grand Theater, an Art Deco movie palace in San Pedro, California. Includes a history of the theater, which opened in 1931.
Meta Description: [ A non-profit organization which sponsors revitalization projects and special events at the Warner Grand Theater, a 1500-seat art deco movie palace located in San Pedro, California ]

Historic Movie Houses of Los Angeles - A list with dates and brief descriptions of the theaters built (1910-32) along South Broadway for films and vaudeville.

Julia Morgan Theater, Berkeley, California - Redwood building designed by architect Julia Morgan in 1908 as the St. John's Presbyterian Church. Brief description, photographs, plan.
Meta Description: [ The Julia Morgan Center for the Arts: A Live Performance, Education, and Community Center located in Berkeley, California. ]

Kilduff's Movie Theatre Survey - A survey of movie theatres in Maryland built between 1900 and 1950. Photographs, building dates and descriptions.

La Scala Helensburgh - Aims to bring back to life a cinema built in 1913 on the west coast of Scotland, designed by Neil Duff. Includes history, proposals and questionnaire.
Meta Description: [ La Scala Cinema ]

Movie House History: Classic Theaters of Kansas - Paul Salley lists theaters, opera houses and drive-in theaters in Kansas, with some history. Banners.

Netherlands Cinema History - Karel Dibbets explores the theaters, the people, the companies, and the visitors of Dutch cinemas from 1906 to the present. Large list of cinemas with opening dates, some with architect.
Meta Description: [ Pages on film exhibition and movie theaters, past and present. A contribution to the history of cinema in the Netherlands. ]

Palace Theatre - Robert Alder provides an illustrated history of this 1925 theatre in Hilo, Hawaii. Includes historic photographs.

Paramount Theatre, Oakland, California - The official site offers photographs and a history (with source) of this extraordinary Art Deco theater. The 1930s movie palace was designed by San Francisco architect Timothy Pflueger.
Meta Description: [ The Paramount Theatre serves all the arts in Oakland, California: symphony to soul, rap to rock. ]

500 Recreating The Theater of Dionysus in Athens - A computer reconstruction of this ancient amphitheater from the e-journal Didaskalia: Ancient Theater Today.

Redford Theatre - This 1928 cinema in Detroit was designed with a Japanese motif. Includes an illustrated history and details of its restoration by the The Motor City Theatre Organ Society.

Saenger Theatres - A study of the former Saenger organization and its theaters, mainly in the US. A list, with illustrated histories of selected theaters, some now gone.
Meta Description: [ Saenger Theatres, Inc. & Saenger Amusements, Inc. - Theatrical amusements from 1911 through today, with pictures & additional information ]

Scottish Surviving Cinemas and Theatres - Historical archive of all surviving cinema buildings in Scotland and news on cinemas under threat of closure or demolition. A database with photographs and historical information on over 900 cinemas.
Meta Description: [ Scotland's Cinemas, Scotland's Theatres, Glasgow Cinemas, Edinburgh Cinemas, Aberdeen Cinemas, Dundee Cinemas, ABC, Regal, la Scala, Odeon, Gaumont ]

Shakespeare's Globe Research Database - Describes and illustrates London playhouses in the 16th and 17th century, particularly the original Globe Theatre, and its modern reconstruction. From Reading University.
Meta Description: [ Shakespeare's Globe, Research, Theatre, London, Globe, Bankside ]

Shakespeare's Globe Theatre - Peter McCurdy describes the reconstruction by his firm of the Elizabethan theater in London used by Shakespeare. Research, construction.
Meta Description: [ McCurdy & Co. are a company of craftsmen and consultants. Some of their projects include the reconstruction of Shakespeare's New Globe Theatre in London, and other historic buildings. ]

500 Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, London - The official site includes images and archaeological evidence of the original Elizabethan circular theater, the story of its reconstruction (1994-7) and a timeline.
Meta Description: [ The reconstructed Shakespeare's Globe on London's Bankside, including Theatre, Education and Exhibition departments. ]

Swedish Cinemas - This stylish site by Kjell Furberg, cinema historian and photographer, provides an architectural feast from the silent era onwards. English and Swedish language versions.
Meta Description: [ Swedish cinemas are internationally acclaimed for their architectonic and artistic prominence. I've built up a written and photographic register of most of them over the past ten years. Kjell Furberg ]

The Ancient Theater of Ephesus - Ïbrahim Ataç explains in the CSA Newsletter that a computer model of theater at Ephesus is to be made. Illustrations are included.

The Cerrito Theater - El Cerrito's historic theater with its Art Deco interior and murals is one of California's hidden treasures. History, photographs and progress on its restoration.
Meta Description: [ El Cerrito's historic Cerrito Theater, with its incredible Art Deco murals and interior, is one of California's hidden treasures. The movie house is undergoing restoration. We need your help to ensure that this 1937 theater is bought back to life! ]

The Cinema Theatre Association - Promotes the study of old cinemas in the UK. Archives, publications, events, links.
Meta Description: [ Cinema Theatre Association Website ]

The KiMo Theatre, Albuquerque, New Mexico - A picture palace in the flamboyant, short-lived, Pueblo Deco style, designed by Carl Boller in 1925. Photographs and history from the City of Albuquerque.
Meta Description: [ Home page for the KiMo Theatre, operated by the City of Albuquerque Cultural Services Department. ]

The Michigan Theater - Constructed in 1927 in Ann Arbour, Michigan, to the design of Detroit architect Maurice Finkel as a vaudeville and movie palace. The official site includes an illustrated history.

The Picture Palace - Louis Barfe's studies of UK cinema buildings and their architects.

404 The Rex Cinema, Berkhamsted - This Art Deco cinema in the UK, designed by David Nye in 1936, has been restored and re-opened. Includes photographs and links to articles on the restoration project.
Meta Description: [ The Rex Cinema, Berkhamsted, Art Deco, independent cinema, James Hannaway ]

The Rose - Built in 1587 by Philip Henslowe, the Rose was the first theatre on London's Bankside. In 1989 its remains were discovered and partially excavated midst a blaze of international press coverage. History, news and opening times.
Meta Description: [ The remains of the Rose Theatre were discovered in 1989, when archaeologists from the museum of London investigated a site on London's bankside. The excavation began as a routine operation, but the archaeologists soon realised that they had found the site of one of the great playhouses of Elizabe... ]

The Uptown Theatre - History of the landmark building in Chicago which opened in 1921, designed by architects Rapp and Rapp for the Balaban and Katz Corporation

Theaters - Great Buildings Online provides photographs, details and bibliographies for a number of significant theaters of all periods across the world.
Meta Description: [ Theaters in the Great Buildings Online. ]

Theatre Historical Society of America - Nonprofit educational organization dedicated to documenting and celebrating historic theatres of all types in the United States.
Meta Description: [ Dedicated to recording and preserving the architectural, social, and cultural history of theatres in America: 19th c. opera houses, nickelodeons, small-town theatres, drive-ins, and movie palaces. ]

Theatre Royal Hyde - A registered charity with the aim of purchasing, restoring and re-opening the Edwardian Theatre Royal in Hyde, Manchester. Follow its progress and learn about the theatre's history.
Meta Description: [ Theatre Royal Hyde is a registered charity with the aim of purchasing, restoring and re-opening the Theatre Royal in Hyde, Manchester. Follow the progress and learn about the theatre through this website. ]

Theatre Royal, York, UK - The official site includes a brief history of the theater built in 1744 and re-modelled in the 19th century.
Meta Description: [ York Theatre Royal aims to offer audiences as wide a range in programming as possible, including drama, comedy, dance, pantomime, youth theatre and more, to ensure that it remains a welcoming and exciting place to visit. ]

Theatron - Features interactive walkthroughs of 3D models of present and past theatres, including those of ancient Greece and Rome. Requires Cosmo Player VRML Plug-in, Flash and Quicktime.
Meta Description: [ THEATRON, Theatre Histoy in Europe - Architectural and Textual Resources Online. ]