Kennedy School Movie Theater
5736 N.E. 33rd Avenue, Portland, OR 97211
Open · verified by Lumina November 2026
A former elementary-school auditorium where couches, armchairs and small tables replace rows of seats, and pizza and beer come to you during the film. Tickets are $6, and the hotel and brewery sit in the same building.
Quick facts
- Type
- Historic, Regional independent, Dine-in, Discount
- Address
- 5736 N.E. 33rd Avenue, Portland, OR 97211
- City
- Portland, Oregon
- Area
- Portland area
- Phone
- (503) 249-3983
- Seats
- 300
- Opened
- 1915
- Hours
- Matinee and evening shows; see now-playing page
- Tickets via
- Etix
- Historic listing
- National Register of Historic Places (#88003472)
What to expect
On screen
- New releases
- Family films
- Special events
At the theater
- Bar
- Dine-in service
- Concessions
- Wheelchair accessible
- Assistive listening
- Closed captions
The story
The building began as John D. Kennedy Elementary School, opened in 1915 on land the school district bought from the Kennedy family in 1913. Architect Floyd Naramore designed it. After the school was closed and left empty, the Portland pub-and-hotel company McMenamins bought the property and renovated it as a hotel, with former classrooms turned into guest rooms, the old cafeteria turned into a courtyard restaurant, and a bar, brewery and soaking pool added. The school auditorium became the movie theater, which can hold about 300 people. The complex was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995. Today the theater shows current films at a low price, offers closed-captioned showings every time, and runs a lower-volume, brighter-lights show for parents with babies on Thursdays.
Good to know
- How much are tickets?
- $6 per person, $4 for children 12 and under, free for kids 2 and under, and free for hotel guests except at special events.
- Can I eat and drink during the movie?
- Yes. Orders from the adjacent Theater Bar, including pizza, burgers, popcorn and beer, are delivered to your seat.
- Is it accessible?
- The theater is wheelchair accessible, every showing is closed captioned, and Captiview devices and assistive headphones are available on request.
- Where is Kennedy School Movie Theater?
- Kennedy School Movie Theater is at 5736 N.E. 33rd Avenue, Portland, OR 97211. Phone: (503) 249-3983.
- Is Kennedy School Movie Theater open?
- Yes. Lumina verified Kennedy School Movie Theater as open in November 2026. Check the theater's showtimes for today's schedule.
- How do I buy tickets for Kennedy School Movie Theater?
- Buy tickets directly from the theater (it sells through Etix) using the Showtimes & tickets button on this page. You can also call (503) 249-3983.
- What independent theaters are near Kennedy School Movie Theater?
- Laurelhurst Theater & Pub in Portland (2.9 mi), Avalon Theatre in Portland (3.3 mi), and Bagdad Theater in Portland (3.6 mi).
- Laurelhurst Theater & PubAvalon TheatreBagdad Theater
Getting there
5736 N.E. 33rd Avenue, Portland, OR 97211 · Get directions · Map © OpenStreetMap contributors
Independent cinemas near Kennedy School Movie Theater
Laurelhurst Theater & Pub
Portland, OR · 2.9 mi
A 1923 neighborhood movie house on Burnside that pairs a food and beer menu with new independent releases and classic films. Tickets are $10, $7 for matinees and all day Tuesday, and the shows are 21+ in the evening.
Avalon Theatre
Portland, OR · 3.3 mi
A low-price Belmont Street movie house with an attached Wunderland arcade. Tuesday tickets are $5, and the theater has long been known as one of Portland's cheapest nights out.
Bagdad Theater
Portland, OR · 3.6 mi
A 1927 Hawthorne neighborhood movie house run by McMenamins, with a pub, a large screen and balcony food delivery. Current films play midday and evening, with open-captioned shows on select days.
CineMagic Theater
Portland, OR · 3.7 mi
A Hawthorne Boulevard repertory house that fills the calendar with themed series: VHS nights, movie quizzes, family matinees and late-night oddities, plus visiting filmmakers. Tickets run about $10, less for matinees and students.
Academy Theater
Portland, OR · 3.9 mi
A 1948 Streamline Moderne theater in Montavilla that serves beer, wine and food and mixes new releases with a revival series. It is one of Portland's neighborhood theater-pubs.
Tomorrow Theater
Portland, OR · 4.1 mi
A restored 1925 theater on Division Street run by the Portland Art Museum's film and media center. It programs queer cinema, documentaries and family matinees, plus comedy, music and book events.
More historic cinemas in Oregon
Clinton Street Theater
Portland, OR
A scrappy neighborhood theater that mixes classic and foreign titles, documentaries, drag and burlesque nights, and a Rocky Horror shadowcast that has run every week since 1978. Tickets are mostly $10.
Moreland Theatre
Portland, OR
A single-screen Sellwood theater from 1925 showing current releases with the occasional cult title. Tickets are $9 before 6 pm and $11 after, with Tuesdays at $5, and the room can be booked for private events.
St. Johns Theater & Pub
Portland, OR
A McMenamins pub-and-theater in a building that began as an exposition pavilion, serving house-made pizza and beer during the movie. Tickets are $7 before 5 pm and $9 after, and showings can be closed captioned on request.
Hours
Matinee and evening shows; see now-playing page
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
- Cinema Treasures
- Wikidata
- Wikipedia: Kennedy School
- Kennedy School Theater now playing
- Kennedy School Theater prices and info