Powell Hall History

January 24, 1968: Powell Hall converts from a movie theater to a Symphony Hall.

The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra played its first-ever concert the night after the legendary theater was re-opened as a symphony hall. It was formerly known as St. Louis Theater, but was renamed as Powell Hall for local businessman Walter Powell when his widow donated $1 million for it to be refurbished.

The ornate movie theater opened along North Grand Avenue in St. Louis in 1925 with over 4,000 seats and showcased not only films but also live performances. The final film shown at the theater was the The Sound of Music before it was purchased by the St. Louis Symphony Society in 1966. And that’s when the big screen came down and the renovations began. It sat empty for 2 years while the work was being done, then opened with great fanfare on January 24th, 1968.

The St. Louis Symphony continues to call the historic theater its home. It was announced in 2023 that another major refurbishment project was planned with an expected re-opening in 2025.