Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, Los Angeles, Guía del visitante y qué hacer cerca

The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts is a theatre and arts complex at Santa Monica Boulevard and Cañon Drive in Beverly Hills, in the Los Angeles area. It opened in 2013 and was built around a restored Italian Renaissance Revival post office from 1934, so a single corner holds both live performance and a piece of the city's past.

The story behind it

Long before the theatres, this corner was a transport stop. A small Pacific Electric station stood here, and freight trains and the Pacific Electric Red Cars shared the tracks that ran along the boulevard. The street itself was part of the old Route 66 corridor, which made it a busy crossing point for people arriving in Beverly Hills.

In 1934 a handsome post office opened on the site. Because the tracks ran in front of it, many visitors used the side doors on Cañon and Crescent Drives rather than the main frontage. Local stories say film stars came here to collect their fan mail, and the best known legend has Fred Astaire tap-dancing on the marble floor while he waited for his letters. That tale is folklore rather than record, but it suits the place. When the Wallis took over the building as part of its performing arts campus, the old post office gained a new audience.

What to look for

• The Italian Renaissance Revival styling of the old post office, which stands out against the newer theatre buildings beside it.
• The side entrances on Cañon Drive and Crescent Drive, the doors many post office customers used because the tracks ran along the front.
• The position of the corner on Santa Monica Boulevard, where you can picture the Red Cars and freight trains once passing.
• The contrast between the historic building and the modern additions, which shows how an old civic landmark was reused rather than replaced.

Tips for your visit

• Allow 10 to 15 minutes to look at the exterior and the corner, or longer if you are attending a performance.
• Daylight is best for seeing the architecture, while the evening brings the crowds arriving for shows.
• You can go inside for performances and events, so check current opening hours and the programme before you go.
• Beverly Gardens Park and the shopping streets of central Beverly Hills are close by on foot, so it fits easily into a longer walk.

See it on a quest

You can reach this corner on foot as one stop of The Oz Escape in Los Angeles, a self-guided walk with an Oz theme. The app tells you about each place as you arrive and sets a puzzle based on what is in front of you. One ticket covers the whole group, and you can start whenever suits you.

Ghost Hunt in Los Angeles also passes the Wallis, and the tale of a dancer who never quite left suits its spooky theme. You walk from stop to stop, hear the story of each place as you get there and solve a puzzle on the spot. One ticket covers the whole group.