Inside Detroit's 5,000-seat Fox Theatre

Picture a movie theater built for about 5,000 people, with a lobby that rises six stories before you even reach the auditorium. That is Detroit’s Fox Theatre. The National Park Service says its size made it the city’s largest movie palace when it opened. You may see a broader claim that it is America’s largest surviving 1920s movie palace, but the official histories we reviewed do not establish that national ranking.

The Fox opened on September 21, 1928, as one of five flagship venues built for movie mogul William Fox. Detroit architect C. Howard Crane gave it a style now described as Siamese Byzantine, mixing Egyptian, Hindu, and Buddhist influences. Opening night featured the silent film “Street Angel.” The Detroit Historical Society says the building was also the first in the world fitted with custom, built-in equipment for presenting talking pictures.

The old seating number depends on which stage of the building’s life you mean. Its National Historic Landmark paperwork lists 5,042 seats; the current operator describes the capacity as just over 5,100, while some configurations are smaller. “About 5,000” is the useful everyday answer. The scale is only part of the draw: the 3,600-square-foot lobby is filled with lions, peacocks, butterflies, columns, and ornament that rewards looking up.

The Fox kept operating through changing movie habits, live shows, and lean years. Mike and Marian Ilitch bought it in July 1987, spent more than $12 million restoring the theater and office building, and moved their company headquarters downtown. The Fox reopened on November 19, 1988. It became a National Historic Landmark in 1989.

It remains a working venue for concerts and touring shows, which means the grand room is not open like a drop-in museum. A ticket is the simplest way inside. The operator also books guided tours, subject to the event calendar. Either way, give yourself a minute in the lobby before heading to your seat. This is one Detroit landmark where the walk in is part of the show.