Tampa Theatre turns 100: Historic movie palace reopens after $24.5 million restoration

The restoration involved everything from decorative paint and plaster to plumbing, electrical systems, sound and lighting. In 1926, visitors to Tampa Theatre in Florida could watch a film beneath a ceiling designed to resemble a night sky, complete with twinkling stars and drifting clouds. A century later, the historic movie palace has reopened after a seven-month, $24.5 million restoration that refreshed its famous auditorium while upgrading the building for future audiences. The theatre officially opened on October 15, 1926. Its restored Duncan Auditorium welcomed visitors back in October 2026, ahead of its centennial celebration on the exact anniversary of its opening.As reported by American media portal Tampa Bay 28, the restoration involved everything from decorative paint and plaster to plumbing, electrical systems, sound and lighting. The work was part of the first phase of the theatre's Second Century Campaign, which aims to preserve the historic venue and expand its cultural and educational activities.A century-old night sky gets a new lookAs staff cleared storage areas to make room for new educational facilities, they found furniture, lamps, tables and paintings that had ...