Art Theatre
Art Theatre
2025 E. 4th Street, Long Beach, CA 90814
Open · verified by Lumina November 2026
A 1920s neighborhood theater on Long Beach's Retro Row, run as a community nonprofit. It mixes independent first-run films with repertory series, 16mm nights, and filmmaker conversations.
Quick facts
- Type
- Art house, Historic, Nonprofit
- Address
- 2025 E. 4th Street, Long Beach, CA 90814
- Area
- Los Angeles area
- Phone
- (562) 438-5435
- Opened
- 1925
- Tickets via
- Filmbot
What to expect
On screen
- New independent releases
- Classics and revivals
- Special events
The story
The building went up in 1925 as the Carter Theater, drawn in a Spanish Colonial Revival style by architect Robert C. Aldrich. The 1933 Long Beach earthquake damaged it badly, and it was rebuilt the next year in a sleek Streamline Moderne look by the Schilling brothers, then reopened in 1935 under the name Lee Theatre. Through the 1970s it was under the ownership of Howard Linn. A Long Beach company, V-Squared Group, bought it in 2008 and restored the front and interior to the 1933 design. The city named it a Historical Landmark back in 1992. In 2013 the theater moved to nonprofit operation, which is how it runs today, supported by memberships and donations. It sits at 4th and Cherry, on the stretch of 4th Street known locally as Retro Row, and now anchors a block of restaurants and wine bars.
Good to know
- What kind of films does the Art Theatre show?
- Independent and repertory titles, plus recurring series such as Art After Dark, Century of Cinema, Reel Conversations, and 16mm screenings.
- Is the Art Theatre a nonprofit?
- Yes. Its history page says it became a nonprofit in 2013.
- When did the Art Theatre open?
- In 1925, as the Carter Theater. It was rebuilt in 1934 after earthquake damage.
- Where is Art Theatre?
- Art Theatre is at 2025 E. 4th Street, Long Beach, CA 90814. Phone: (562) 438-5435.
- Is Art Theatre open?
- Yes. Lumina verified Art Theatre as open in November 2026. Check the theater's showtimes for today's schedule.
- How do I buy tickets for Art Theatre?
- Buy tickets directly from the theater (it sells through Filmbot) using the Showtimes & tickets button on this page. You can also call (562) 438-5435.
- What independent theaters are near Art Theatre?
- Bianchi Stadium 11 Theatres in Paramount (9.1 mi), Paramount Drive-In Theatres in Paramount (9.1 mi), and Milagro Cinemas in Norwalk (10 mi).
- Bianchi Stadium 11 TheatresParamount Drive-In TheatresMilagro Cinemas
Getting there
2025 E. 4th Street, Long Beach, CA 90814 · Get directions · Map © OpenStreetMap contributors
Independent cinemas near Art Theatre
Bianchi Stadium 11 Theatres
Paramount, CA · 9.1 mi
A Paramount stadium-seat multiplex with a leather-recliner premium auditorium, rewards program, and $5 movies on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Paramount Drive-In Theatres
Paramount, CA · 9.1 mi
A drive-in in Paramount that pairs new releases and family titles in evening and late-night slots. Admission is paid at the gate per single show, with lower prices for children.
Milagro Cinemas
Norwalk, CA · 10 mi
A Norwalk Town Square multiplex showing first-run films, with a $7 Tuesday family day and themed nights such as Cult Classic Mondays and Cine Tuesday.
Frida Cinema
Santa Ana, CA · 17 mi
A two-screen nonprofit in downtown Santa Ana that mixes art-house, cult and classic programming with themed film series. It also offers captioned and assisted-listening screenings, film club memberships and outdoor cinema rentals.
Michelle and Kevin Douglas IMAX Theatre
Los Angeles, CA · 19 mi
An IMAX theater at USC's Robert Zemeckis Center for Digital Arts, hosting campus screenings and a weekday matinee series of cult and rare films.
Lot Fashion Island
Newport Beach, CA · 20 mi
Lot Fashion Island is a movie theater run by a regional independent circuit in Newport Beach, California, at 999 Newport Center Drive.
More art house cinemas in California
Pacific Film Archive
Berkeley, CA
The film program of the Berkeley Art Museum, with retrospectives, restored classics and international cinema on a university-run schedule. Members get half-price tickets, and the 232-seat theater sits in a 2016 building on Center Street.
Lumiere Cinema
Beverly Hills, CA
A Beverly Hills art-house cinema on Wilshire Boulevard that bills itself as the city's only one. It plays independent films with filmmaker Q&As and hosts a monthly open screen for short films.
Laemmle Town Center 5
Encino, CA
A five-screen Encino cinema run by the family-owned Laemmle chain, which has operated in Los Angeles since 1938. It plays new independent, foreign and documentary releases.
Is this your theater?
Claim this free page to fix details, add photos, and post special screenings. We'll also send you a monthly count of the moviegoers this page sends your way.
Claim this pageIndependent listing by Lumina. Not affiliated with the theater. Facts verified from public sources in November 2026. How we verify
Report an error or request removal