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Tampa Theatre is an opulent landmark of the movie palace area. Built in the 1920s, the exterior looks nondescript as any department store, save for the glowing marquee sign out front. However, the interior was designed in the "atmospheric" style, making the theatre elegant and enchanting. Surrounding the screen is a facade which, with its statues, balconies, and stucco roofing, was made to resemble an Italian courtyard. The ceiling above the seating area is done to look like a starry blue sky. The theatre is now on the National Register of Historic Places and offers guided tours of the balcony and stage.


Tampa Theatre was built in 1926 and remains an important landmark in the city.

Tampa Theatre was built in 1926 and remains an important landmark in the city.

The Tampa Theater lobby

The Tampa Theater lobby

The auditorium was designed to resemble and Italian courtyard.

The auditorium was designed to resemble and Italian courtyard.

Tampa theater in the 1920s.

Tampa theater in the 1920s.

Tampa Theatre in 1942

Tampa Theatre in 1942

Tampa Theatre Box Office

Tampa Theatre Box Office

Tampa Theatre Box Office

Tampa Theatre Box Office

Tampa Theatre logo etched on its front doors

Tampa Theatre logo etched on its front doors

John Eberson (1875-1954), pictured here around 1912.

Forehead, Chin, Eyebrow, Hairstyle

The theatre was built in 1926 and was designed by renowned theater architect, John Eberson, who designed more than 500 theaters and earned the nickname "Opera House John." Paramount Studios financed the construction of the theatre. At the time, it was common for movie studios to provide such funding due to the monopoly they held on movie production. The theatre's biggest selling points when it opened, along with its fabulous and magical design, were the Wurlitzer pipe organ and the low ticket price (25 cents).

In the 1950s, the invention of the television dealt a hard blow to the theatre, as audiences could now get film entertainment within their own homes. The mass movement of people to Tampa's suburbs in the 1960s also harmed many city businesses, including the theatre, and in 1973 it closed its the doors. The theatre faced the possibility of being demolished, but the people of Tampa rallied and convinced the city to buy it, therefore saving the old building. It reopened in 1977 and has been entertaining the citizens of Tampa ever since.

The theater now hosts regular showings of popular new movies, as well as various film festivals showcasing modern and classic films. Performances by musicians and bands from a wide variety of genres also grace the theatre's stage. The theatre offers a 90-minute tour, known as the Balcony-To-Backstage Tour, of its facility on various dates throughout the year. The tour covers much of the theatre's history, as well as information on the architecture, pipe organ, and resident ghost stories. 

Bands and individuals that have performed at the theatre include, but not limited to: Glam Metal Band, Sleeze Beez, Arlo Guthrie and Old Crow Medicine Show.

"History." Tampa Theatre. Accessed June 21, 2016. https://tampatheatre.org/about/history.

"Tampa Theatre." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. January 3, 1978. https://npgallery.nps.gov/AssetDetail/NRIS/78000945.