8 Unique Movie-Going Experiences From Around The World!

If you want to add some unique stops to your travel bucket list or dream board, then why not add some movie theaters? The movie-going experience is universal, but not all movie theaters are created equal. There are some out there that are truly doing the most when it comes to enhancing the 1.5 to 2 hours you spend in front of a huge movie screen. Here are 8 film houses around the world to check out during your next travel adventure!

1. Cine Thisio - Athens, Greece

Nothing says Greece like an open-air auditorium similar to the spaces in which people in Ancient Greece watched gladiator battles and works of theater. So why not enjoy a movie in that setting too? Cine Thisio is lauded as one of the world’s most beautiful open air cinemas, and it is right near the Acropolis!

2. Music Box Theater - Chicago, Illinois

For a theater with lots of history state-side, check out the Music Box Theatre in Chicago, Illinois. This movie house will turn 100 years old in 2029, and it almost didn’t make it this long! In 1983, the theater was closed, until the Music Box Theatre Corporation was formed to restore and reopen it for generations of movie-goers to come.

3. Cineteca Matadero - Madrid, Spain

If a slaughterhouse-turned-movie theater sounds up your alley, then check out Cineteca Matadero when you find yourself in Spain! The passion project of architects José María Churtichaga and Cayetana de la Quadra-Salcedo, this theater has three screening rooms and curates a selection of films focusing on highlighting alternative and independent filmmakers.

4. AMC Empire 25 - New York City, New York

What started as a showing room for theatrical productions in the early-1910s is now a movie theater located just west of Times Square! While its convenient location does mean that it’s always busy, this movie house with five stories and over twenty screens is well worth the visit!

5. United Cinemas Aqua City Odaiba - Tokyo, Japan

If just an IMAX screening isn’t an immersive enough movie-going experience for your tastes, then you need to make your way to this cinema in Japan, where films can be projected 270 degrees around a room! The movie house hosts a ScreenX theater, which projects movies onto both the screen in front of you and two screens on the sidewalls. 

6. Skyline Drive-In - NYC, New York

For a less-hectic movie-going experience in New York City, pull into the Skyline Drive-In. Be sure to show up early for a good spot at the theater appropriately named for its stunning view of Manhattan. Bbut don’t worry if you don’t have a car! Skyline encourages movie-goers to show up however they can, whether via walking or on bike. 

7. Electric Cinema - London, England

After you visit the London Eye and Big Ben, be sure to check out Electric Cinema, one of the oldest working movie houses in the country. Known now for its classy atmosphere and comfy couch seats, the theater was built in 1910, making it a whopping 113 years old! 

8. TCL Chinese Theatre - Hollywood, California

You can’t go to Hollywood without going to the movies, and the TCL Chinese Theatre situated right on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is the perfect place to do exactly that! But it’s not solely known for its top-notch movie-going experience. Just outside in the theater’s forecourt, you can find the handprints and signatures of almost 200 celebrities in the cement!