Wilma Theater, Entertainment venue in downtown Missoula, United States
The Wilma Theater is a cinema and events venue in downtown Missoula, Montana, housed in an eight-story steel-framed high-rise designed by Norwegian architect Ole Bakke with H. E. Kirkemo. The complex contains a 1,400-seat hall, a lounge, three banquet rooms, a restaurant, apartments, and offices. Its interior features Louis XIV-style gilt trim, and the building shows hallmarks of Sullivanesque architecture.
William "Billy" Simons built the Wilma in 1921 and named it for his wife, light opera artist Edna Wilma. Norwegian architect Ole Bakke designed it with assistant H. E. Kirkemo, and the eight-story steel frame was Missoula's first steel-framed high-rise. In 1982 Edward Sharp opened the Cinema of the Dove in the basement; after his death in 1993 it became a conventional theater.
The Wilma hosts independent films, comedy nights, and live concerts that draw local crowds and touring artists alike. This mix of programming makes it a gathering point for life in Missoula.
The theater sits in the middle of downtown Missoula and is easy to reach on foot from most central points. Arriving just before or after an event gives you the best chance to move through the interior and take in the building at your own pace.
The basement pool, the Crystal Plunge, closed within ten years because condensation damaged the steel-framed structure. In 1982 the space reopened as the Cinema of the Dove, also called the Chapel of the Dove, run by Edward Sharp and described as a dazzlingly eclectic venue. After Sharp died in 1993 it became a conventional theater.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 94,139 contributors worldwide.
