Step inside America’s most magnificent theaters and you’re not just entering a building—you’re walking into decades of drama, music, and pure entertainment magic. These architectural gems have hosted everyone from vaudeville performers to Broadway legends, and the best part is that many of them open their doors for guided tours that reveal secrets most audience members never see.
From ornate opera houses to grand movie palaces, historic theaters across the country offer fascinating glimpses into our cultural past. Here are 15 historic theaters you can actually tour.
Radio City Music Hall
New York City’s Radio City Music Hall stands as the crown jewel of Art Deco entertainment venues, and its behind-the-scenes tours are absolutely worth the trip. You’ll get to explore the famous Rainbow Room, peek into the Rockettes’ rehearsal halls, and see the massive Wurlitzer organ that still gets used for special performances.
The tour guides share incredible stories about the celebrities who’ve graced this stage, from Frank Sinatra to modern pop stars. What makes this tour special is getting to stand on the same stage where the Rockettes perform their legendary Christmas Spectacular show every year.
Ford’s Theatre
Washington D.C.’s Ford’s Theatre carries one of the most significant moments in American history, and the tours here blend theatrical heritage with national tragedy. You can sit in the same type of seats where audiences watched plays in the 1860s, and the museum downstairs houses artifacts from that fateful night in 1865.
The theater still operates as a working venue, so you might catch a glimpse of actors preparing for current productions. Tour guides do an excellent job of explaining how theaters operated during Lincoln’s era, making the experience both educational and deeply moving.
Like Travel Pug’s content? Follow us on MSN.
The Paramount Theatre
Seattle’s Paramount Theatre showcases the golden age of movie palaces with its stunning French baroque architecture and crystal chandeliers that seem to float from the ceiling. During tours, you’ll learn how this venue transformed from a silent movie house to a premier concert hall that’s hosted everyone from Bing Crosby to modern rock bands.
The acoustics in this place are so perfect that performers often comment on how clearly they can hear themselves think on stage. The tour includes access to the ornate lobby areas that regular ticket holders rarely get to explore properly.
Majestic Theatre
San Antonio’s Majestic Theatre brings a touch of European grandeur to Texas with its baroque revival architecture and hand-painted ceiling that tells the story of ancient mythology. The backstage tour reveals the original 1929 dressing rooms, complete with period fixtures and mirrors that have reflected countless performers over the decades.
You’ll discover how the theater’s designers created perfect sightlines from every seat in the house, a feat of engineering that still impresses modern architects. The venue’s pipe organ, one of the few still functioning from that era, occasionally gets demonstrated during tours.
The Chicago Theatre
Chicago’s iconic theater marquee might be the most photographed sign in the Windy City, but the real magic happens inside during their comprehensive backstage tours. You’ll explore the elaborate dressing rooms, see the original Wurlitzer console, and learn about the venue’s transformation from a movie palace to a premier live performance space.
The tour guides share fantastic stories about the comedians and musicians who’ve performed here, including some pretty amusing backstage antics. Standing on the historic stage gives you a performer’s perspective of the ornate auditorium, with its elaborate plasterwork and vintage lighting fixtures.
Like Travel Pug’s content? Follow us on MSN.
The Warner Theatre
Washington D.C.’s Warner Theatre combines neoclassical elegance with Broadway-caliber productions, and their tours offer access to areas that even VIP ticket holders don’t typically see. You’ll visit the orchestra pit, explore the fly gallery where scenery gets moved during shows, and peek into the wardrobe department where costumes for current productions are maintained.
The theater’s restoration in the 1990s preserved original 1924 details while adding modern technical capabilities that make it a favorite among touring Broadway companies. Tour participants often get to test the acoustics by speaking from different locations throughout the venue.
Palace Theatre
New York’s Palace Theatre earned its reputation as the ‘Vaudeville Capital of the World,’ and today’s tours celebrate that incredible legacy with stories that bring the golden age of variety shows to life. You’ll see photographs and artifacts from legendary performers who made their mark on this stage, including some of the earliest film stars who got their start in live theater.
The building’s architecture reflects the optimism of the early 1900s, with elaborate decorative elements that were designed to make every patron feel like royalty. Modern Broadway shows still use this venue, so you might encounter current cast members during your visit.
The Fabulous Fox Theatre
Atlanta’s Fox Theatre stands as the South’s premier entertainment venue, and its tours showcase Middle Eastern architecture that makes you feel like you’ve stepped into an Arabian palace. The building’s story includes a fascinating transformation from a Shriner’s temple to a movie house to a restored performing arts center that nearly faced demolition in the 1970s.
You’ll explore the elaborate Egyptian-themed decorations, see the original Möller pipe organ, and learn about the community effort that saved this architectural treasure. The tour includes access to the ornate boxes and balcony areas where you can appreciate the venue’s incredible attention to decorative detail.
Like Travel Pug’s content? Follow us on MSN.
Orpheum Theatre
Memphis’s Orpheum Theatre has been entertaining audiences since 1928, and their backstage tours reveal the venue’s role in the city’s rich musical heritage. You’ll discover how this theater became a crucial stop for touring Broadway shows and major recording artists who helped shape American popular music.
The building’s architecture combines French baroque and Italian Renaissance styles, creating an atmosphere that’s both grand and intimate. Tour guides share stories about the famous performers who’ve graced this stage, including some surprising connections to Memphis’s legendary music scene.
The Pabst Theater
Milwaukee’s Pabst Theater proves that great entertainment venues can thrive outside major metropolitan areas, and its tours showcase German-inspired architecture that reflects the city’s cultural heritage. The theater’s intimate size means every seat offers an excellent view, and the tours explain how this design philosophy influenced other American theaters built during the same era.
You’ll see original Victorian-era details that survived multiple renovations, including hand-painted ceiling murals and ornate metalwork. The venue’s connection to the famous brewing family adds an interesting local history element that makes this tour unique among American theaters.
Beacon Theatre
New York’s Beacon Theatre combines Art Deco glamour with modern concert technology, and their tours appeal to both architecture enthusiasts and music fans. You’ll explore the building’s distinctive design elements, including the famous terracotta facade and the lobby’s elaborate plasterwork that creates an almost cathedral-like atmosphere.
The venue’s transformation from a movie palace to a premier concert hall involved carefully balancing historical preservation with acoustic improvements. Tour participants get to see the backstage areas where contemporary artists prepare for performances, making this experience relevant to today’s entertainment industry.
Like Travel Pug’s content? Follow us on MSN.
Ohio Theatre
Columbus’s Ohio Theatre represents the height of 1920s movie palace design, and tours here focus on the incredible attention to detail that made these venues so special. The building’s Spanish baroque architecture includes hand-painted ceiling murals, elaborate chandeliers, and decorative elements that were crafted by European artisans.
You’ll learn about the theater’s role as both a movie house and a vaudeville venue, where live entertainment and films often shared the same program. The restored Wurlitzer organ still gets used for special events, and tour guides occasionally demonstrate its impressive range of sounds and effects.
Pantages Theatre
Hollywood’s Pantages Theatre brings together Art Deco design with Broadway entertainment, and their tours offer insights into both the venue’s architectural significance and its role in American theater. You’ll explore the elaborate lobby areas, see the famous ceiling mural that depicts classical mythology, and learn about the theater’s connection to the entertainment industry’s golden age.
The building’s acoustics were designed specifically for live performance, and the tours explain how architects achieved such excellent sound quality without modern technology. Standing on the stage gives you a performer’s perspective of the ornate auditorium that has hosted countless premieres and award shows.
The Byrd Theatre
Richmond’s Byrd Theatre offers tours of a neighborhood movie palace that’s been continuously operated by the same family for decades, creating a uniquely personal experience. You’ll discover how this venue survived the challenges that closed many similar theaters, including the rise of television and multiplex cinemas.
The building’s French Empire architecture includes original 1928 details like the Wurlitzer organ that still provides intermission entertainment. Tour guides share stories about the theater’s role in the community, including its tradition of second-run movies at affordable prices that made it accessible to generations of local families.
Like Travel Pug’s content? Follow us on MSN.
Strand Theatre
Shreveport’s Strand Theatre combines 1920s elegance with modern restoration techniques, and its tours showcase how historic venues can adapt to contemporary entertainment needs. The building’s neoclassical architecture reflects the optimism of the era when movies were still a relatively new form of entertainment.
You’ll see original decorative elements that survived multiple renovations, including elaborate plasterwork and vintage lighting fixtures that create an authentic period atmosphere. The venue now hosts everything from Broadway touring companies to local theater productions, demonstrating how historic theaters continue to serve their communities.
Where Entertainment History Lives On
These historic theaters prove that America’s entertainment heritage remains vibrant and accessible, connecting today’s audiences with the performers and audiences who came before them. Each venue tells a unique story about how live entertainment evolved from vaudeville and silent films to the diverse programming we enjoy today.
Walking through these spaces, you can almost hear the echoes of past performances and feel the excitement that generations of theatergoers experienced in these same seats. The fact that most of these venues continue to host live performances means they’re not just museums—they’re living pieces of cultural history that continue to create new memories while preserving the old ones.
More from Travel Pug
- 20 Best Beach Towns in the Carolinas
- 13 Destinations Where Tourists Regularly Regret Their Trip
- 20 Things You Actually Get in First Class
- 20 Small Airports With Aviation Museums
- 20 Places in the U.S. That Are Perfect for a Reset Trip
Like Travel Pug’s content? Follow us on MSN.