Minnesota's Most Historic Movie Theaters

This art deco theater still entertains crowds in downtown Canby. It has historic character with modern amenities. In 2015, it was named WCCO’s “Viewers’ Choice for Best Movie Theater in Minnesota.”

From its 1914 showing of "The Last Days of Pompeii" to reopening with "Twister" and "Mission: Impossible" in 1996, the Cozy Theatre remains a key building in Wadena, identified by its vertical sign at the corner of Colfax and Jefferson.

The original 1912 building that housed the Princess, then State, Theatre burned down in 1959. As part of the rebuild, a community naming contest was held, and the Flame Theatre was born. It's still open Friday-Monday with tickets for just $5 each ($4 on Mondays).

This century-old theater is reportedly one of the country’s longest continual-running movie theaters, though it was first built for stage acts. Today, it’s a two-screen operation that maintains its historic feel while also showing how older buildings can be modified for modern technology.

Built in 1926 by brewery heir Arthur Gluek to show locally produced stage plays and vaudeville during the thirsty days of prohibition, the Heights features an impressive 1929-vintage pipe organ, played before the 7:10 movie on Friday and Saturday evenings. The theater has both state-of-the-arts digital and film projection equipment, and hosts first-run movies as well as classic film series.

Built in the 1920s, this single screen movie house has been updated to play digital and 3-D movies.

With weekend screenings of first-run movies at $5 per adult, this single-screen theater embodies the charm of Harmony, located between Lanesboro and the Iowa border. In 2011, the community helped raise funds to convert to digital equipment to keep the theater running.

The St. James Princess Theatre in southern Minnesota has had multiple uses since it was built just over a century ago. After multiple remodels, the city-owned building now features a balcony level movie theater and a restored lobby in addition to its notable marquee and neon lights.

The Palace was built in 1914 as a stage theater. Since a remodel in 2007, it’s been a mixed-use facility hosting live stage productions and movie screenings.

When it opened in 1937, Hutchinson's State Theatre showed "True Confession" for 35 cents a ticket. Over the next 75 years, it expanded from one screen to three before closing in 2001. New owners bought it, revamped it and converted it from 35 mm film to digital in 2005.