Bird Cage Theatre, Theater building in Tombstone, United States
Description
The Bird Cage Theatre is a theater building in Tombstone, Arizona, that served as a stage venue, gaming house, and saloon during the silver mining era. The wooden structure preserves its Victorian-era facades, worn floorboards, and wall panels with visible bullet marks from shootouts.
History
The building opened in 1881 and remained in operation until 1894, when the decline of silver mines emptied the town. After decades of abandonment, it reopened as a museum in the 1930s and has drawn visitors ever since.
Culture
The name refers to fourteen boxes suspended along the side walls like bird cages, where guests watched performances and gaming tables below. Visitors today walk through the rooms and see the original stage sets, dressing rooms, and gaming halls with their authentic furnishings.
Practical
Visitors can walk through three floors of 19th-century exhibits on their own during daylight hours and book specialized evening tours. The wooden stairs and low door frames require some care when moving through the narrow passages.
Did you know?
A poker game inside lasted over eight years without interruption, making the venue famous for its unbroken gambling activity. The basement beneath the building contained secret wine cellars and storage rooms that are now part of the tour.
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