Vancouver’s iconic Orpheum Theatre opens its doors with public tour

The Orpheum Theatre marks its 85th anniversary this year.

An iconic Vancouver concert hall is waiting to be explored this summer.

Guided tours of the Orpheum Theatre on Granville Street are again being offered to the public to mark the 85th anniversary of the historic and ornate venue.

Visitors get a rare chance to see many parts of the civic theatre up close, from the backstage area to the dome in the ceiling.

“We talk about the architecture of the theatre and then we talk about the history and all the different people that have played on the stage of the theatre,” said Rob Haynes, president of the B.C. Entertainment Hall of Fame, the group running the tours.

Over its lifetime, the building has seen many uses. In 1927, it opened as a venue for vaudeville entertainment and later became a cinema and live-entertainment theatre.

In the 1970s, a successful community campaign prevented the theatre from being converted into a multiplex.

Since then, the building has undergone restoration, acoustic upgrading, and refurbishment.

These days the Orpheum is home to the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and plays host to a variety of touring performers.

The 90-minute-long tours run Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at 11 a.m. until August 30.

Entry is by a minimum cash-only donation of $10 per person. Spots on the tour can be reserved by calling 604-665-3470.