Coliseum Theater, Seattle
historic place
The Coliseum Theater in Seattle, Washington, a historic place in King County, opened on January 8, 1916. Designed by architect B. Marcus Priteca, it was Seattle's first theater built specifically for movies. It was also among the first cinemas to feature architectural grandeur. Upon opening, it was advertised as 'the world's largest and finest photoplay palace.' Its exterior showcases elaborate terra cotta. During the silent film era, it hosted a seven-piece orchestra and a Moller organ. The Coliseum Theater showed films until 1990. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 and became a Seattle city landmark in 1978. The building later housed a Banana Republic store from 1994 to 2020, and since 2024, an artist collective. This site is historically significant for its pioneering role in cinema architecture.