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Florida Movie Theatres (page 2)

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Seminole Theatre
Homestead, FL		 Valerie Theatre
Inverness, FL
The Seminole Theatre opened as a silent movie house in 1921. It was rebuilt in the Streamline Moderne style in 1940 after a major fire. In the early 1970s, the Seminole was renamed the Premier Theatre and began showing Spanish-language movies. It closed in 1979 and sat idle. In 1992, Hurricane Andrew tore off the roof and the interior was badly damaged. The owners donated the theater to the City in 1993. In 2015, the theatre became a performing arts center. For more, see this website. [map]

The Valerie Theatre opened in 1927. In 1939, the theatre was gutted by fire and rebuilt. It closed in 1987. The City bought the theatre in 2009. The facade and sign were rebuilt and the theatre reopened in 2015 as the Valerie Theatre Cultural Center. For more, see this website. [map]

Florida Theatre
Jacksonville, FL
The Florida Theatre was designed by R.E. Hall and Roy Benjamin and built in 1927. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was restored in 1983. It is now used for musical events. In 2023, more restoration was underway. A replica of the original vertical sign will be created. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

San Marco Theatre
Jacksonville, FL
The San Marco Theatre was designed by Roy Benjamin and opened in 1938. It closed in 2023. In 2024, it was announced that the building would be adapted for the Electric Dough Pizza Co. while maintaining the facade. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

Murray Hill Theatre
Jacksonville, FL
The Murray Hill Theatre opened in 1949 and closed in 1994. It was then occupied by a nightclub known as the Dungeon. The theatre is now used for live performances. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

Tropic Cinema
Key West, FL		 former Strand Theatre
Key West, FL
The Tropic Cinema was built in 2004 by the Key West Film Society. The building previously housed a warehouse. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

The Strand Theatre opened in the early 1920s. It closed sometime in the early 1980s and reopened as a nightclub. In 1993, it became a Ripley's Believe It Or Not museum. Since 2004, it has housed a Walgreens drug store. The marquee and facade were restored but most of the interior was gutted. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

Gateway Theatre
Lake City, FL
The Gateway Theatre was built in 1930. In the early 2000s, the building was housing a church. It now houses the Henry Wilson Performing Arts Center. The theatre features live performances and movies. For more, see this website. [map]

Lake Theatre
Lake Worth, FL
The Lake Theatre opened in 1939. It was also known as the Lake Avenue Theatre. It is now known as the Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. Building. The theatre was designed by Roy A. Benjamin who also is also responsible for the Florida Theatre in Jacksonville and many other theatres in Florida. In 1980, it was renovated and transformed into the Lannan Museum and Palm Beach Community College Museum of Art. It was then purchased and renovated again in 1999 for PBICA (the Palm Beach Institute of Contemporary Art). In 2005, the museum closed. The building now houses the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County. For more, see this website. [map]

Polk Theatre
Lakeland, FL		 Olympia Theatre
Miami, FL
The Polk Theatre was built in 1927. The atmospheric auditorium features twinkling stars and moving clouds. The theatre is now used for live performances and movies. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3. [map]

The Olympia Theatre was designed by John Eberson and built in 1925. It originally featured silent films. This Moorish style theatre featured Eberson's trademark auditorium with a nighttime sky, rolling clouds and twinkling stars. In 1971, the theatre was nearly demolished. It was donated to the City of Miami in 1975. After an extensive renovation from 1975-1977, the theatre became the Gusman Center for the Performing Arts. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The theatre still has its original Mighty Wurlitzer organ. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

Ace Theatre
Miami, FL
The Ace Theatre was built in 1930. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The building has been vacant since at least 2008. In 2022, restoration began and the marquee sign was removed. For more, see this website. [map]

Tower Theatre
Miami, FL
The Tower Theatre opened in 1926. The exterior was remodeled in 1931. The tower on the roof was built then. The theatre closed in 1984. Since 2002, it has been operated by Miami-Dade College. For more, see this website. [map]

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