Plaza Theatre

The Plaza Theatre is a movie theater on Hay Street in Perth, designed with a narrow facade featuring vertical lines and geometric patterns in the Streamline Moderne style of the 1930s. The building sits above a shopping arcade with roughly 40 retail shops, with the cinema itself accessible through a rear entrance.

The building opened in September 1937 and was the first structure specifically designed as an Art Deco cinema in Perth. It emerged during a period when cinema as mass entertainment was growing and new standards for comfort and design were being established.

The theatre served as a major entertainment destination where locals gathered to watch the latest films and experience shared cultural moments. It shaped Perth's social life and remains a reminder of how people spent their leisure time during that era.

The cinema is accessible from the rear and generally straightforward to find, though the facade appears narrow along Hay Street. When visiting, allow time to explore the surrounding shopping arcade, which is part of the same building.

The National Trust registered the building as a heritage place in 1990, recognizing its value as an early example of Perth's entertainment venues from the interwar period. This classification has helped preserve and protect its original architecture.

Location: Perth

Architects: William G. Bennett

Architectural style: Streamline Moderne

Address: Plaza Arcade, Hay Street Mall, Perth, WA 6000

GPS coordinates: -31.95410,115.85900

Latest update: December 14, 2025 14:20