March 20, 2018

Los Angeles' Historic Theaters Take Center Stage

  • By: Lauren Walser

They say all the world's a stage, and in Los Angeles, that feels particularly true. For fans of movies, theater, or live music, there are venues for every form of entertainment, many of which date from the early part of the last century. The city’s historic theaters, from neighborhood movie theaters to grand performance halls, were documented by SurveyLA—the Los Angeles Historic Resources Survey, a 10-year project out of the city’s Office of Historic Resources. (SurveyLA was one of the winners of the 2017 Richard H. Driehaus Foundation National Preservation Awards, which you may have read about in the Fall 2017 issue of Preservation magazine.)

Here is a small tour of just some of the city’s old theaters.

Lauren Walser headshot

Lauren Walser served as the Los Angeles-based field editor of Preservation magazine. She enjoys writing and thinking about art, architecture, and public space, and hopes to one day restore her very own Arts and Crafts-style bungalow.

Looking for a meaningful way to support the historic local eateries you love? Nominate your favorite spots for a Backing Historic Small Restaurants grant.

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