Metro Theater (San Francisco, California)

 cinema, Art Deco (architecture), historical building

2055 Union Street
San Francisco, CA 94123

cinematreasures.org/theaters/3260

The Metro Theatre was designed by the Reid Brothers in the Spanish Colonial Revival style. The tiered seating was a Reid Brothers innovation, and the Metro is the only remaining movie theatre in San Francisco that retains its original tiered layout.

The original Metro was built in 1924 & remodeled in 1941 to update the style from Spanish Colonial to Art Deco. The Metro is the original home of the San Francisco International Film Festival.

The Metro Theatre continued to operate as a single screen theatre until its closure in October 2006. In June 2009, the developer extended a commitment to preserve some of the historic features inside, including a series of murals by interior designer Anthony Heinsbergen, Ioinic columns, grilles and urns on the stage. It was converterd into a gymnasium.