This Iconic Minnesota Movie Theater Was Decades Ahead of Its Time

At its height, moviegoers from all over the Midwest would come and marvel at the films shown at this iconic piece of Minnesota pop culture history. Sadly, the theater would not survive the 20th century.

Decades before IMAX wowed audiences, there was the Cooper Theater Cinerama. It was an experience unlike any other in the U.S. and lasted until the early '90s.

Get our free mobile app

Welcome to the Cooper Theater Cinerama of St. Louis Park, Minnesota

The 808 seat Cooper Theater first opened its doors to audiences in 1962. The first film shown at the iconic movieplex was “The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm”, but the next movie shown at the theater made it the go-to attraction for moviegoers throughout the region. "How The West Was Won" played for an astonishing 88 weeks at the Cooper, its longest run in the entire United States, outside of Hollywood.

Part of the appeal was the uniqueness of the theater itself. The Cooper was one of the few theaters in the country to show films in the "Cinerama" format, meaning that movies were viewed on a curved screen, much wider than a traditional theater screen.

Sadly, the Cooper Theater closed its doors in 1991 and was demolished a year later. These days the site is occupied by a retail development company.

To learn more about the majestic Cooper Theater, check out the video clip below from Twin Cities PBS.

Story Sources: Cinema Treasures Website, Twin Cities PBS YouTube