Tampa Theatre facts for kids
Exterior of venue (c.2006)
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| Full name | Tampa Theatre Building |
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| Address | 711 N Franklin St Tampa, FL 33602-4435 |
| Location | Downtown Tampa |
| Owner | City of Tampa |
| Operator | The Arts Council of Hillsborough County |
| Capacity | 1,252 |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | April 12, 1925 |
| Opened | October 15, 1926 |
| Renovated | 1976-77; 1992; 2009; 2011-12; 2017 |
| Construction cost | $1.2 million ($20 million in 2022 dollars ) |
| Architect | John Eberson |
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Tampa Theatre
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| Architectural style | Mediterranean Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 78000945 |
| Added to NRHP | January 3, 1978 |
The Tampa Theatre is a really old and special movie theater in Downtown Tampa, Florida. It was designed by architect John Eberson to look like an outdoor courtyard. This type of design is called an "atmospheric theatre." It first opened its doors on October 15, 1926.
Today, the theatre shows all kinds of movies, like independent films, movies from other countries, and documentaries. It is the only movie theater in Tampa that is a non-profit. This means it uses money from tickets, snacks, and donations to keep running. The Tampa Theatre has also been used as a background for movies, music videos, and TV shows.
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History of the Tampa Theatre
When it first opened, the Tampa Theatre was special for many reasons. It was the first business building in Tampa to have air conditioning. Imagine how cool that was in Florida! The inside of the theatre looks like a romantic Mediterranean courtyard. It has old statues, pretty flowers, and even gargoyles. The ceiling is painted to look like a night sky with twinkling stars.
In the 1960s and 1970s, many old movie palaces in America were torn down. The land they sat on became more valuable than the theaters themselves.
Saving the Theatre from Being Torn Down
In 1973, the Tampa Theatre was almost torn down too. But the people of Tampa loved their theatre and decided to save it! Groups were formed, and city leaders got involved. They made a deal for the City of Tampa to take over the theatre. The Arts Council of Hillsborough County agreed to manage it. They planned to show films, host concerts, and hold special events.
When the theatre reopened in 1978, it became an example for other cities. It showed how communities could save their historic theaters.
In 1992, the Tampa Theatre Foundation helped fix the building after a fire in 1991. Now, the theatre hosts over 600 events each year. These include new and classic movies, concerts, special events, and educational programs.
Since it was saved in 1978, more than five million people have visited the theatre. This includes over a million school children who came for field trips and summer camps. Saving the Tampa Theatre is one of the biggest history projects in Tampa.
Recognitions and Upgrades
The theatre was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. It is also a Tampa City Landmark. It is part of the League of Historic American Theatres, which helps protect old theaters.
The theatre has been updated many times over the years. One big project was replacing the marquee, which is the sign outside. This was finished on January 16, 2004.
The theatre also has a special musical instrument called The Mighty Wurlitzer Theatre Organ. This organ is played before movies by volunteer organists.
In 2013, the theatre switched to digital movies and sound. This cost $150,000. They showed a free movie called Samsara to celebrate this change.
Recent Renovations
In late 2017, the theatre closed for six weeks for a big renovation. This $6 million project updated the electrical systems. They also put in new seats that look like the original ones from 1926. The number of seats was changed from 1,446 to 1,238 to make more room for people.
They also added a new snack bar and a system to protect the building from storms. New storm-proof windows and doors were put in. A new carpet was installed, designed to match the original 1926 pattern. The main stage curtain was also replaced to look like the original.
The lobby's paint and plaster were restored to their original colors. Special artists even made new tapestries to replace the old, faded ones from 1926. The original tapestries were moved to the Tampa Bay History Center to be kept safe.
Images for kids
