Opened in 1922, Grauman’s Egyptian Theatre was a pioneer in turning cinema into a full-blown Hollywood spectacle. Sid Grauman and promoter Charles E. Toberman designed it as a complete experience: it starts outside, with a forecourt styled as part of the décor, and continues inside with a lavish “Ancient Egypt” theme created by Meyer & Holler. From the very first premiere—Robin Hood with Douglas Fairbanks—the theater set the standard for movie events. Over the years, it stayed at the forefront of innovation, introducing synchronized sound in the mid-20s and maintaining the idea of cinema as a spectacle, with prologues and theatrical touches far beyond a simple screening. The theater went through challenging decades, worsened by the 1994 Northridge earthquake, before its first major revival in the late 90s. Its second, more recent revival began in 2020, when Netflix purchased the building and launched a major restoration, bringing back the original spirit while adding state-of-the-art technology. Today, visitors can step inside—but not like a typical museum: the focus is on watching a film, attending a special screening, or joining one of Netflix’s curated events.