Why go
Castro Theatre is defined by the street pattern and public spaces of Castro Theatre. Another layer comes from architecture and daily movement across Castro Theatre. Plan Castro Theatre by remembering to set a compact boundary around Castro Theatre before walking. After Castro Theatre, choose a district beside Castro Theatre; this keeps Castro Theatre geographically coherent and avoids forcing Castro Theatre into an unrelated crossing.
What to look for
- Look closely at the street pattern and public spaces of Castro Theatre.
- Notice architecture and daily movement across Castro Theatre.
The full story
The New Castro Theatre opened on June 22, 1922 for an invitation-only screening, with local luminaries such as Mayor James "Sunny Jim" Rolph in attendance, of the Paramount Pictures release Across the Continent (1922), starring Wallace Reid. The new Castro Theatre opened the following day to the general public. The Nasser brothers, who built the theater and still own it, also owned several other movie houses in the San Francisco area. The interior is luxurious and ornate, with subtly convex and concave walls and ceiling and a dramatic "Mighty Wurlitzer" pipe organ that is played before films and events. The large neon "Castro" sign is emblematic of both the theatre and the Castro District. In January 2008, for the filming of the Gus Van Sant biopic Milk, restorations were made to the neon on the theater's marquee and blade sign, and the facade was repainted. The movie about the life and times of Harvey Milk, the San Francisco city Supervisor who was California's first openly gay elected official (portrayed by actor Sean Penn, who won an Academy Award for his performance), had its world premiere at the theater in November 2008.
Useful to know
- For Castro Theatre, set a compact boundary around Castro Theatre before walking.
- Pair Castro Theatre with a district beside Castro Theatre when the route and opening conditions align.
Your next visit
Estimated · Declared scenario and planning estimates; no live opening, weather, queue or booking service.
Outdoor visit · 30–45 min
World planning estimate; admission, opening, visit duration and access need checking.