Tivoli Theatre, Chattanooga, Guía del visitante y qué hacer cerca

The Tivoli Theatre is a historic performance hall at 709 Broad Street in downtown Chattanooga, Tennessee. It opened in the early 1920s as a grand movie and vaudeville palace and still hosts concerts, touring shows and local arts groups today. It is one of the most recognisable buildings on Broad Street.

The story behind it

The Tivoli was designed by Rapp and Rapp, the Chicago architects behind many of America's picture palaces, and opened in 1921. In its early years it offered silent films and live stage acts to a city that was growing fast. Like many theatres of its era, it was built to make an evening out feel like an occasion, with an ornate auditorium that seated well over a thousand people.

When audiences drifted away from downtown movie houses in the later twentieth century, many palaces like this one were closed or demolished. The Tivoli survived and was restored, and it returned to life as a performing arts venue. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and it is closely tied to Chattanooga's local arts scene.

What to look for

• The marquee and vertical sign over the entrance on Broad Street, which give the building its classic theatre look from down the block.
• The decorative facade, where the work of a large-scale theatre architect shows in the proportions and ornament around the entrance.
• The lobby and auditorium, if you attend an event, where gilded plasterwork, a deep stage and tiered seating show how a 1920s picture palace was meant to feel.
• The setting of the building itself, framed by the other downtown storefronts and office buildings on Broad Street.

Tips for your visit

• Allow 10 to 15 minutes to see the exterior and take photos. Allow an evening if you plan to see a performance.
• You can usually go inside for ticketed shows or special events, so check the current schedule and opening hours before you go.
• Late afternoon and early evening are good times to see the marquee lit up as the street gets busier.
• Broad Street leads toward the riverfront and the Tennessee Aquarium, so the theatre fits easily into a walk through downtown.

See it on a quest

Playing Murder Mystery: Death in the Shadows in Chattanooga is a good way to see the Tivoli Theatre. You reach it on foot as one stop on a longer route through downtown, the app tells you about each place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle on the spot. One ticket covers the whole group, and you can start whenever you like.

Chattanooga Detective Mystery: Infiltrate a Secret Society. also passes this stretch of the city. You walk between the stops yourself, hear about each landmark when you get there, and work out a puzzle from what is in front of you. It is a paid quest, and one ticket covers the whole group.