Arlington Theater

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The Arlington Theater is Santa Barbara's largest movie theater and main performing arts venue in the United States of America. In addition to regular screenings and artists, it is home to many events associated with the annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

[edit] History

Located at 1317 State Street, the Arlington was built in 1931 on the former site of the Arlington Hotel, which was destroyed following the 1925 earthquake. Both buildings have Robert E. Lee's Virginia mansion as their namesake. This name was chosen to appease both North and South civil war sympathizers, as this mansion was later occupied by Union general Ulysses S. Grant.

The current structure was erected in 1930 as a showcase moviehouse for Fox West Coast Theaters. It was restored and expanded in the mid-1970s by Metropolitan Theaters Corporation. It opened in its current incarnation in 1976.

[edit] Architecture

The Arlington's architecture represents an amalgamation of Spanish styles. The red tiled building features a covered courtyard with fountain and a free-standing ticket booth. The auditorium itself seats 2,000 on the floor and balcony. Both walls feature faux villas, and the ceiling is dotted with simulated starlight. One of the Arlington's signature treasures is an old-fashioned organ hidden from view, that rises on a platform into view when played before a performance.