Plaza Theatre 🇺🇸

Step into living history at the Plaza Theatre, one of El Paso's most well-known landmarks. Built in 1930 and recognized as architect W. Scott Dunne's surviving Spanish Colonial Revival masterpiece, this National Historic Building of Significance earned the title "The Showplace of the Southwest." When you visit, you will marvel at its grandiose design, featuring a three-tiered domed tower, mission-style parapets, mosaic-tiled floors, intricately painted ceilings, posh carpeting, and decorative wrought iron banisters.

Inside, experience the grandeur of the 2,050-seat Kendall Kidd Performance Hall, famous for its atmospheric ceiling complete with astronomically correct twinkling stars and floating clouds. You can also see an intimate show in the 200-seat Philanthropy Theatre inside the Centre Annex. Be sure to look for the restored Mighty Wurlitzer Organ, a rare instrument capable of replicating sounds like ocean surf, birds chirping, and horses' hooves.

Over the decades, this landmark has hosted legendary performers ranging from John Wayne to Rita Moreno, and was the first public theater in the United States with air conditioning. Today, you can catch live Broadway productions, concerts, and the annual Plaza Classic Film Festival inside this restored historic treasure.

What to see at Plaza Theatre

• Spanish Colonial Revival design featuring a three-tiered domed tower and intricate interior decor
• The 2,050-seat Kendall Kidd Performance Hall with an atmospheric twinkling star ceiling
• The restored Mighty Wurlitzer Organ, a rare intact Balaban III pipe organ
• The 200-seat Philanthropy Theatre housed inside the integrated Centre Annex

Visiting tips

Look up at the main hall's atmospheric ceiling during your visit to view the astronomically correct twinkling stars and cloud projections.

How long: 2-3 hours · Best time: During a scheduled show

How to get there & what’s nearby

Plaza Theatre is easy to reach on El Paso’s public transport, and pairs naturally with El Paso Museum of Art and El Paso Zoo. For where to stay, the weather and full itineraries, see our El Paso travel guide.