Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts 🇺🇸

When you visit Reno, Nevada, you cannot miss the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts, a historic theater famous for its striking architectural design. Completed in 1967, this remarkable concrete facility features an eye-catching gold geodesic dome roof, which earned it the affectionate unofficial nickname "Golden Turtle." The roof consists of a 500-panel gold-anodized aluminum shell built over an inner steel frame, supported by reinforced concrete arches. Because the orchestra level is depressed below ground level, the dome nearly touches the ground at its corners.

Originally designed by the architectural firm Bozalis, Dickinson and Roloff, with contractor Temcor led by Buckminster Fuller's student Don Richter, the building was inspired by Casa Mañana in Fort Worth, Texas. Step outside to see the 1939 statue of a pioneer family by Byron S. Johnson, salvaged from the Old State Building that previously occupied the site and gave the center its current name.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 2005, this 1,500-seat theater featuring 987 main-level seats and 513 balcony seats offers you a unique chance to appreciate mid-century engineering and regional history right in the heart of Reno.

What to see at Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts

• Distinctive 500-panel gold-anodized aluminum geodesic dome roof nicknamed the "Golden Turtle"
• 1,500-seat capacity split between 987 main-level seats and 513 balcony seats
• Historic 1939 pioneer family statue by sculptor Byron S. Johnson
• Architectural structure listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005
• Mid-century concrete design inspired by Texas's Casa Mañana structure

Visiting tips

Look closely at the building's exterior corners to see how the depressed orchestra level allows the gold dome to nearly touch the ground.

How long: 1-2 hours · Best time: Daytime

How to get there & what’s nearby

Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts is easy to reach on Reno’s public transport, and pairs naturally with First United Methodist Church (Reno, Nevada). For where to stay, the weather and full itineraries, see our Reno travel guide.