Olympia Theater at the Gusman Center for the Performing Arts

Tucked into Miami’s contemporary skyline is an enchanting Mediterranean courtyard with shimmering stars and golden balconies. Majestic turrets and towers suggest another era when performances were events, and grand theaters provided a dreamlike escape from the modern world.

The Olympia Theater at the Gusman Center for the Performing Arts is not just a “venue” – is the jewel of South Florida arts and entertainment facilities, affording South Florida’s diverse community and its international guests a unique cultural experience that defies comparison.

The Olympia Theater opened in 1926 as a silent movie palace and amazed the public with its stunning Moorish architecture, perfect acoustics and simulated night sky, complete with wafting clouds and twinkling stars. It also achieved fame as the first air-conditioned building in the South.

The “talkies” and Vaudeville soon arrived at the Olympia, and for more than 40 years the theater was the number one entertainment center in Miami. It was one of the last theaters in the country to showcase Vaudeville acts.

Throughout its history, the Olympia – now better known as the Gusman Center – has been host to the world’s most exciting performers in the arts and entertainment community. Cultural icons such as Elvis Presley, B.B. King, Luciano Pavarotti and Etta James have provided memorable evenings under the Gusman Center’s stars. The theater has also hosted today’s best-known pop stars and is a favored venue for MTV concerts.