The time has come for Seattle to say goodbye to one of its most beloved movie theaters. The SIFF Egyptian Theatre will not reopen, after being closed for a year due to flood damage. SIFF made the announcement in tandem with Seattle Central Colleges (the owner of the theater’s building) on Thursday, October 9, saying that SIFF will no longer continue its lease.
Read on for all the details.
SIFF Cinema Egyptian in Capitol Hill has been closed for repairs since the fall of 2024 after flooding caused extensive damage. A reopening date was never announced. In the announcement posted on the SIFF website on October 9, SIFF said the decision to terminate the lease was due to a lack of funds and resources:
The decision reflects both the current realities of arts funding and the extensive resources required to operate a historic venue of the Egyptian’s size and age. SIFF leadership emphasized that while the Egyptian holds deep cultural and emotional significance, reopening the venue was not a sustainable path forward for the organization.
SIFF will still operate its other three movie theaters in Seattle: SIFF Cinema Downtown (previously known as Cinerama), SIFF Cinema Uptown in Queen Anne, and the 90-seat SIFF Film Center on the Seattle Center campus. As for the Egyptian Theatre, which is located in the Fine Arts building belonging to Seattle Central Colleges, it’s unknown if it will be converted to a different use or if another entity will give it a second life as a movie theater. In the statement, Seattle Central Colleges said: “Our focus remains on how our facilities, including this space, can best support our students and the college’s mission.”
The Egyptian Theatre is located inside a historic 1916 Mason Temple in Capitol Hill. Originally an auditorium, the space was converted into a movie theater in 1980 and decorated with an Egyptian theme—hence the name. Seattle Central Colleges has owned the building since 1992. SIFF took over the theater’s lease in 2013 and after raising funds to renovate the theater, they reopened it as SIFF Cinema Egyptian in October 2014.
Tom Mara, SIFF’s Executive Director, said in SIFF’s statement that “much has changed for SIFF, our city, and the arts industry” since the theater’s 2024 closure. According to Mara, they “prioritized finding a path” to reopen the Egyptian for months. Ultimately Mara said that SIFF decided to put “financial and operational sustainability above all else so the organization can continue the expansive programming offered at our additional three venues.”
You can view a slideshow of photos of the Egyptian over the years here. To support SIFF, you can donate or become a member.
We will update this post with any additional information.