Bijou by the Bay, Movie theater in Traverse City, US

Bijou by the Bay is a cinema in Traverse City located near Clinch Park that shows first-run releases and independent productions. The venue holds around 150 seats, creating an intimate setting with curated programming.

The theater occupies the former Con Foster Museum, built in the 1930s by President Roosevelt's Civil Works Administration. The museum stood vacant for years before Michael Moore's team, which had restored the State Theatre in 2007, converted it into a 150-seat cinema in 2013. It opened on July 29, 2013, before the 9th Annual Traverse City Film Festival, with a preview of The Spectacular Now. Conrad Foster, the museum's namesake, managed the Lyric Theatre from 1917 until his death in 1940.

The name comes from the French for "little gem", chosen for its popularity among cinemas of the 1930s and 40s, when the Con Foster Museum building went up. Murals by local artists Rufus Snoddy and Glen Wolff show the Lake Michigan shoreline; hidden in the painting are references to classic films and Michigan artifacts for visitors to find.

The theater is accessible via East Grandview Parkway and through the TART Trail for visitors coming by bicycle or foot. Tickets can be purchased online in advance to plan your visit.

The building began as the Con Foster Museum, built in the 1930s by President Roosevelt's Civil Works Administration, and sat vacant for years before its 2013 conversion. Conrad Foster, its namesake, started his movie career at 13 as an usher in Boston's Bijou Theatre and managed Traverse City's Lyric Theatre until his death in 1940.