# List of former theatres in Boston

The following is a partial list of former theatres in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It includes multi-purpose public spaces that functioned at least in part as venues for theatrical performances, including vaudeville. Most venues also served at one time or another as concert halls, lecture halls, meeting spaces, etc. Some operated as dime museums, and some as motion picture houses. Some of the buildings that formerly housed theatres have survived to the present day. However, most of the buildings no longer exist.

## Former theatres in Boston

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| Name | Year established | Year closed | Location | Notes |
| Adelphi Theatre | 19th century | | Washington Street | |
| Alhambra | 1878 | | | |
| Allston Hall | 19th century | | Tremont Street | |
| Allston Theatre | 20th century | | Brighton Avenue | |
| Apollo Theatre | 20th century | | Washington Street | |
| The Arena | 19th century | | Chandler Street | |
| Arlington Theatre | 20th century | | Tremont Street | |
| Austin and Stone's Dime Museum | 1883 | | Tremont Row | |
| Austin's Nickelodeon | 1888 | 1891 circa | Court Street | |
| Barnum's Aquarial Gardens | 1862 | 1863 | Washington Street | |
| Beach Street Theatre | 19th century | | | |
| Beacon Theatre | 20th century | | Tremont Street | |
| Beethoven Hall | 1874 | 1878 | Washington Street | |
| Bijou | 1882 | 1943 | Washington Street | |
| Board Alley Theatre | 1792 | 1793 | Hawley Street | |
| Boston Aquarial and Zoological Gardens | 1860 | 1862 | Central Court | |
| Boston Arena | 20th century | | Street Botolph Street | |
| Boston Hippodrome | 20th century | | Tremont Street | |
| Boston Museum | 1841 | 1903 | Tremont Street | |
| Boston Olympic Theatre | 1845 | | Court Street | |
| Boston Opera House | 1909 | | Huntington Avenue | |
| Boston Theatre | 1854 | 1925 | Washington Street | |
| Bowdoin Square Theatre | 19th century | | Bowdoin Square | |
| Bowdoin Theatre | 1858 circa | | | |
| Boylston Hall | 1810 | 1887 | Boylston and Washington Streets | |
| Boylston Museum | 1875 | 1885 | 667 Washington St at the corner of Boylston and Washington streets. | Founded by George E. Lothrop in 1875. Opened May 1875 as the Boyston Museum, both a variety theatre and dime museum. Later known as the Star Novelty Theatre at the New Boylston Museum. Lothrop acquired the 661, 663, and 665 Washington St properties, and the theatre and museum were substantially expanded into the new World's Museum (1885-1892); also a theatre and dime museum. |
| Buckley's Minstrel Hall | 1863 | | Corner of Summer and Chauncey Streets | AKA Buckley's New Minstrel Hall and Aquarial Gardens. AKA Buckley's Serenaders |
| Casino Theatre | 19th century | | Hanover Street | |
| Casino Theatre | 1909 | | | |
| Castle Square Theatre | 1894 | 1932 | Tremont Street | |
| Chickering Hall | 1883 | 1890s | Tremont Street | |
| Chickering Hall | 1901 | 1912 | Huntington Avenue | |
| Cobb Theatre | 20th century | | Washington Street | |
| Columbia Theatre | 1891 | 1957 circa | Washington Street | |
| Columbian Museum | 1795 | 1825 | Tremont Street | |
| Concert Hall | 1752 | 1869 | Hanover Street 42°21′37″N 71°03′37″W﻿ / ﻿42.360414°N 71.060342°W﻿ / 42.360414; -71.060342﻿ (Concert Hall) | |
| Continental Theatre | 1860s | | Washington Street | |
| Copley Theater | 20th century | | Dartmouth Street | |
| Cort Theatre | 1914 | 1915 | Park Square | |
| Donnelly Theatre | March 12, 1922 | 1968 | 205 Mass. Ave. | formerly Back Bay Theatre, Jimi Hendrix may have played here with Little Richard's band |
| Dudley Street Opera House | 19th century | | Dudley Street | |
| Dudley Theatre | 20th century | | Washington Street | |
| Eagle Theatre | 1840s | | Haverhill and Traverse Streets | |
| Eagle Theatre | 20th century | | Washington Street | |
| Egleston Theatre | 20th century | | Washington Street | |
| Everett Square Theatre | 20th century | | Fairmount Avenue | |
| Exeter Street Theatre | 1914 | 1984 | Exeter Street | |
| Faneuil Hall | 18th century | | | |
| Federal Street Theatre | 1794 | 1852 | Federal Street 42°21′20″N 71°03′23″W﻿ / ﻿42.355547°N 71.056522°W﻿ / 42.355547; -71.056522﻿ (Federal Street Theatre) | |
| Fenway Theatre | 20th century | | Massachusetts Avenue | |
| Forest Garden | 1879 circa | | Roxbury | |
| Franklin Park Theatre | 20th century | | Blue Hill Avenue | |
| Gaiety Theatre | 1878 | 1882 | Washington Street | Became the Bijou Theatre |
| Gaiety Theatre | 1908 | 1949 | Washington Street | |
| Gem Theatre | 20th century | | Meridian Street | |
| Germania Theatre | 1876 | | | |
| Globe Theatre | 1871 | 1894 | Washington Street | |
| Globe Theatre | 1903 | | Washington Street | |
| Gordon's Old South | 20th century | | Washington Street, near Milk Street | |
| Gordon's Olympia Theatre | 20th century | | Washington Street | |
| Grand Dime Museum | 19th century | | Dover Street | |
| Grand Museum | 19th century | | Dover Street and Washington Street | |
| Grand Opera House | 1888 | 1930s | Washington Street | |
| Grand Theatre | 1896 | | | |
| Gray's Opera House | 1878 | | | |
| Halleck's Alhambra | 1880 | | City Point | |
| Harmony Hall | 19th century | | 724 Washington Street | |
| Harrington's Museum | 1840 | 1842 | Court Street | |
| Haymarket Theatre | 1796 | 1803 | Tremont Street | |
| Hollis Street Theatre | 1885 | 1935 | Hollis Street | |
| Horticultural Hall | 1845 | 1860 | School Street | |
| Howard Athenaeum | 1845 | 1953 | Howard Street 42°21′33″N 71°03′37″W﻿ / ﻿42.359167°N 71.060278°W﻿ / 42.359167; -71.060278﻿ (Howard Athenaeum) | |
| Huntington Avenue Theatre | 20th century | | Huntington Avenue | |
| Ideal Theatre | 20th century | | Dudley Street | |
| Jane English's New Tremont Theatre | 19th century | | Tremont Street | |
| Keith and Bacheller's New York Dime Museum | 1883 | | | |
| Keith's Theatre | 1894 | | Washington Street | |
| Keith-Albee Boston Theatre | 1920s | | Washington Street | |
| Lancaster Theatre | 20th century | | Lancaster Street | |
| Lion Theatre | 1836 | 1839 | Washington Street | Became the Melodeon |
| Lothrop's Grand Museum | 19th century | | Dover Street | |
| Lyceum Theatre | 1892 | | Washington Street | |
| Magnet Theatre | 20th century | | Washington Street | |
| Melodeon | 1839 | 1878 | Washington Street | Became the Gaiety Theatre |
| Metropolitan Theatre | 1925 | | Tremont Street | See Wang Theatre |
| National Theatre | 1836 | 1863 | Portland Street, West End | |
| National Theatre | 1911 | 1978 | Tremont Street, South End | |
| New Dime Museum | 1882 | | | |
| New England Museum | 1818 | 1840 circa | Court Street | |
| Nickelodeon | 20th century | | Hanover Street | |
| Nickelodeon Musee and Parlor Theatre | 1894 | | Hanover Street | |
| Novelty Theatre | 19th century | | Dover Street | |
| Oakland Garden | 1879 circa | | Roxbury | |
| Ocean Garden | 1880 | | | |
| Olympic Saloon | 1841 | | | |
| Ordway Hall | 1852 | | Washington Street | |
| P. T. Barnum's Museum and Aquarial Gardens | 19th century | | Washington Street | |
| Palace Theatre | 19th century | | Court Street | |
| Palais Royal | 1878 | | | |
| Park Garden | 1879 | | | |
| Park Square Theatre | 1915 | 1921 | Park Square | |
| Park Theatre | 1879 | | Washington Street | |
| Plymouth Theatre | 1911 | 1957 | Stuart Street | |
| Pompeiian Amphitheater | 19th century | | Huntington Avenue | |
| Puritan Theatre | 1905 circa | 1960s | Washington Street | |
| RKO-Boston | 1930s | 1950s | Washington Street, corner Essex Street | |
| Scenic Temple | 20th century | | Berkeley Street and Warren Avenue | |
| School-Street Opera House | 19th century | | School Street | |
| Scollay Square Olympia Theatre | 20th century | | | |
| Scollay Theatre | 1913 | 1962 | Tremont Row | |
| Seville Theatre | 1930 circa | 1970 circa | East Boston | |
| Siege of Paris Opera House | 1879 | | | |
| Selwyn's Theatre | 1867 | 1870 | Washington Street | |
| Selwyn Theatre | 1921 | | Park Square | |
| Shawmut Theatre | 20th century | | Blue Hill Avenue | |
| St. James | 20th century | | Huntington Avenue | |
| Star Theatre | 20th century | | Tremont Row | |
| St. James Theatre | 19th century | | Washington Street | |
| Suffolk Drive-In | 1955 circa | 1970 circa | East Boston | |
| Superb Theatre | 20th century | | Columbus Avenue | |
| Theatre Comique | 1860s | | Washington Street | |
| Theatre Comique | 1906 | | Tremont Row | |
| Toy Theatre | 1914 | | Dartmouth Street | |
| Tremont Theatre | 1827 | | Tremont Street | |
| Tremont Theatre, Studio Building | 1860s | | Tremont Street | |
| Tremont Theatre | 1889 | | Tremont Street | |
| Union's Opera House | 1879 | | | |
| Unique Theatre | 20th century | | Washington Street | |
| Vaudeville Saloon | 1840 | | | |
| Waldron's Casino | 20th century | | Hanover Street | |
| Washington Gardens | 19th century | | Common Street | |
| Washington Hall | 1833 | | Washington Street | |
| Washington Theatre | 20th century | | Washington Street | |
| Washingtonian Hall | 1842 | | Court Street | |
| Williams Hall | 1855 circa | | Washington Street | |
| Windsor Theatre | 1881 circa | | Dover Street | |
| World's Museum | 1885 | 1892 | 661-667 Washington Street | The successor to the theatre and dime museum Boylston Museum which existed at 667 Washington St. The adjacent properties were purchased by the Boylston Museum's owner, George E. Lothrop, for the purposes of expanding both the theatre and museum. The newly expanded enterprise opened as the World's Museum on November 9, 1885. It is also known as the World's Theatre. It was sold and became the Lyceum Theatre in 1892. |
| The Zoo | 1896 | | Boylston Street | |