Greenbelt Cinema facts for kids
The Greenbelt Cinema is a cool old movie theater located in Greenbelt, Maryland. It has two screens and was built a long time ago, between 1937 and 1938. This special building is part of the Greenbelt Historic District. It was designed in a unique style called Art Deco, which was very popular in the 1930s. The theater first opened its doors on September 21, 1938. The very first movie shown there was Little Miss Broadway, starring the famous child star Shirley Temple.
Saving the Cinema
Years later, in 2002, the Greenbelt Cinema faced a big problem. Its owner thought about closing it down to build a different kind of store. But the City of Greenbelt decided to save it! They bought the theater to make sure it would always be a place to watch movies.
Big Renovations
Because the theater was so old, it needed a lot of work to become modern again. In 2012, experts thought it would cost a lot of money to fix it up. Luckily, the City of Greenbelt found the money to do major renovations between 2014 and 2015.
The renovations made the theater much better. They added new digital projectors, which make movies look super clear. They also kept an old-fashioned 35MM projector for showing classic films. The lobby and ticket booth were restored to look like they did in the old days. The restrooms were improved, and the snack bar area was made even better.
Friends of the Theater
After the renovations, a local group called The Friends of Greenbelt Theatre took over running the cinema. This group is a nonprofit organization. Their main goal is to keep the building safe and make sure it continues to be a great place for people to watch movies.
What Makes it Special
The Greenbelt Cinema is a unique place. Its main movie room can seat 368 people, and there's a smaller room called The Screening Room that seats 40. It's one of the only movie theaters in Maryland that is run by a nonprofit group. It's also one of the few two-screen theaters left in the state. This makes it a special spot for movie lovers!
