Tampa Theatre is 87 years old today

On this day—October 15—in 1926, Tampa Theatre opened its doors for the first time. The architect of this national historic landmark, John Eberson, has been quoted saying:

I want my theatres to create the feeling that one wants to come back and enjoy the restfulness of its surroundings.

Back in the day,  movie theaters were marvels of gilded opulence, evoking romantic palaces and faraway exotic temples. Over time, many of these landmarks fell into disuse or were demolished. But you can still enjoy a new or classic film on the big screen at Tampa’s historic movie theater.

The Tampa Theatre was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. The ornate auditorium, with its Spanish, Italian, Babylonian, and Persian influences, was designed to resemble an airy courtyard with arched balconies and a constellation of twinkling illuminated “stars” in the ceiling.

87 years later, so many of our guests comment that Eberson certainly achieved that.