Heights Theater

The Heights Theater is a movie house in Columbia Heights featuring restored Art Deco design with period-appropriate furnishings including a Wurlitzer organ. The auditorium holds about 400 seats and is illuminated by antique chandeliers containing 2600 Egyptian lead crystals throughout.

The building opened in 1926 and survived major damage from fires, a bombing, and a tornado in 1949 that damaged the tower. The theater underwent major restoration work in the 1990s after decades of continuous operation.

The venue screens both current releases and classic films, often accompanied by a restored Wurlitzer organ that fills the space with live music. This blend of cinema and organ performance creates an experience you would not find in modern multiplex theaters.

The cinema is located in the Columbia Heights neighborhood and is accessible by public transportation. Visitors should note that this is an intimate theater with limited seating, so popular screenings fill up quickly.

This is the longest continuously operating cinema in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Its survival has depended not just on sturdy construction but also on a dedicated community that has supported its preservation.