Elsinore Theatre

Elsinore Theatre is a cinema and performance venue in Salem featuring approximately 1,290 seats spread across two floors with Tudor Gothic architecture inspired by Shakespeare's Hamlet. The building includes decorative stained glass windows by the Povey Brothers and hosts various cultural events alongside film screenings.

The theater was designed by Ellis F. Lawrence, first dean of the University of Oregon's architecture school, and opened in 1926 as a silent film venue. After Fox West Coast Theatres took over, the facility was converted to show sound films, marking a shift in local entertainment.

The theater served as Salem's social hub for entertainment over generations and continues to shape how people experience films and live shows together. The spaces and audience traditions reflect decades of shared cultural life.

The theater opens for films and events throughout the year and offers ticket sales at the box office and online. Visitors should check the schedule in advance since programming changes regularly.

The theater once featured a grand Mighty Wurlitzer organ, an impressive instrument that played alongside films until 1962. This organ was a special attraction that made the movie experience quite engaging for audiences back then.

Location: Salem

Inception: 1926

Architects: Ellis F. Lawrence

Floors above the ground: 2

Address: 170 High Street SE, Salem, OR 97301

Website: http://elsinoretheatre.com

GPS coordinates: 44.93861,-123.03694

Latest update: December 11, 2025 18:03