On September 7, 1929 the Loew’s Kings Theatre in Brooklyn opened its doors to the public for the first time and less than 50 years later they were closed, seemingly for good. Designed by the Rapp & Rapp architecture firm in the French Baroque style, the Kings is not only an important piece of Brooklyn history architecturally but from a community standpoint as well. Many Brooklynites had their first date at the theater, walked across the stage during their high school graduation. Now, after almost 40 years of darkness, the curtain is beginning to rise.

The Kings reopened in February 2015 and is the largest indoor theater in Brooklyn, as well as the fourth largest in New York City. It has become a place for the community to gather once again, hosting everything from Broadway shows to concerts. Take a trip through the history of the Kings via photographs and artifacts spanning the theater’s heyday through its renovation.  Watch the theater return to its original splendor and learn for yourself why it’s called Brooklyn’s “Wonder Theatre.”