Theatre nerds and art deco lovers will be glad to know that there’s a fabulous old art deco theatre still in use in Cody, Wyoming.

Opened in 1937, the Cody Theatre was notable for a few reasons. Not only was it the city’s main source of entertainment back then, it is the first building in Wyoming to be air conditioned.

As of 2024, that same air conditioning unit was still in use.

The theatre is still in use too. They show movies and have live performances as well. It’s still very much a center for the community and I was delighted to see how nice it looks on the outside.

The theatre was built for a reported $50,000 which would be well over a million in 2025 money. The art deco design is subtle on the outside and those details continue on the inside as well, according to their website.

The best part of all is the marquee which has gotten some TLC this year. I found a story about efforts to save the marquee that you might want to check out here.

It would be easy to replace the aging AC unit or that fabulous old marquee. It would be easy to gut this theater and turn it into a restaurant or something random. I’m so happy and impressed that people have maintained and protected this place and its assets for all these years.

This theatre is a lovely asset for downtown Cody and a piece of Wyoming history. You know how I feel about these things.

Check out the Cody Theatre website to see what they have upcoming on the stage.