The first movie theater, known as a Nickelodeon, was opened in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on June 19th, 1905. The Nickelodeon was the brainchild of Harry Davis and John P. Harris.
Before then, motion pictures had been shown as part of vaudeville acts or in temporary storefront spaces. The Nickelodeon changed all that by offering a dedicated space for showing only movies.
The name of the theater comes from ‘nickel’ which refers to the five-cent admission price. This price made movies accessible to the general public and was a fraction of what it cost to attend live theater shows at the time.
The success of Davis and Harris’ Nickelodeon Theater led to a wave of copycats across the United States. By 1910 there were over 8,000 movie theaters operating in the US and many more around the world. These early movie theaters were often dimly lit with uncomfortable seats and limited projection equipment.
Later Developments
As technology improved throughout the 20th century, so did cinema experiences. With sound capabilities introduced in 1927, color films in 1932 and widescreen formats in 1952, movie theaters began to look more like we know them today.
Today there are thousands of cinemas around the world offering an immersive experience with surround sound systems, reclining seats and 3D projection capabilities.
Conclusion
Harry Davis and John P. Harris are credited with inventing the first movie theater or ‘Nickelodeon’ back in 1905. Since then there have been many advancements in cinema technology which have made it into what it is today.