Opened in 1936, it hosted the world premieres of such movies as 2001: A Space Odyssey and Jurassic Park.

[3] Opened on October 29, 1936,[4] the theater was designed by architect John Jacob Zink, whose firm designed over 200 theaters across the United States, and the 14th built by Warner Brothers in Washington, D.C.[5] The exterior is constructed of yellow and red brick and the facade is partially faced in limestone fluted panels.

The limestone features typical Art Deco motifs, including zigzag patterns and floral reliefs.

In December 2010, the theater's Norelco 35mm/70mm projector was dismantled and replaced with a Christie Dual-Projector 3D system for the opening of Tron: Legacy.

[9] In May 2022, the D.C. government's Historic Preservation Review Board voted 7-0 to add the theater to the D.C.