Phone +1 231-486-5222 | ||
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Address 181 E Grandview Pkwy, Traverse City, MI 49684, USA Similar Carmike Horizon Cinema 10, Traverse City Film Festival, Old Town Playhouse, City Opera House, Grand Traverse Mall | ||
The Bijou (/biÊ’u) by the Bay is a 150-seat nonprofit movie theater in a lovely City park on Grand Traverse Bay, next to the multi-use TART Trail. It is one of the venues for the Traverse City Film Festival.
Contents
The state theatre bijou by the bay
History
Bijou was the first movie theater to open within Traverse City city limits. The building was originally the Con Foster Museum which was built by President Roosevelt's Civil Works Administration in the 1930s. The museum sat vacant for many years until it State Theatre was renovated into a fully accessible movie theater in 2013 by the same team who resurrected the State Theatre in 2007. The renovation was made possible by the donations from Richard and Diana Milock, Michael Moore, the Bijou Founders, and other individuals who contributed to help expand the film festival and create a beautiful waterfront theater venue.
Bijou by the Bay had its grand opening on July 29 in Clinch Park just before the film festival. This was an important addition to northern Michigan cinemas due to the deed restrictions on the State Theatre which could only show films that opened in less than 200 screens in the US.
Bijou is the French word for "little gem." The name was selected due to its popularities for movie theaters in the 1930s and 40s, the era in which the museum was constructed.
Murals
The Bijou features murals painted by award-winning local artists Glenn Wolff and Rufus Snoddy. The murals feature views of the shores of Lake Michigan on which the theater sits. Hidden in the painting, audience members can find several "easter eggs" that reference classic films and Michigan artifacts.
Donations
Since Bijou is a non-profit, there are different donation levels with various perks.