Guided Tour Booking Required
Performance at the Tivoli
Catch a performance in the restored 1921 'Jewel of the South' movie palace — operatic concerts, touring shows, and the Chattanooga Symphony all use the venue.
- Duration:
- 2 hr
No photograph
on file
Est. 1921on file
HauntBound archive · catalog record
Reported phenomena — as catalogued
- 01Figures glimpsed backstage
- 02Unexplained sounds during performances
- 03Apparitions near orchestra pit and dressing rooms
Theater / Performance Venue
Tivoli Theatre
1921 Beaux-Arts movie palace nicknamed 'the Jewel of the South,' with local tour lore crediting three resident spirits — a musician, a dancer, and an old stagehand.
709 Broad St, Chattanooga, TN 37402
Wheelchair Accessible
Research-Backed · 3 sources
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
$$
Ticket prices vary by event; tours by arrangement through Tivoli Foundation.
Access
Wheelchair OK
Renovated 1921 theater with ADA-accessible orchestra seating and restrooms
Equipment
No Photos
Est. 1921 · National Register of Historic Places (1973) · Designed by Rapp and Rapp · Among the first air-conditioned public buildings in the US · Chattanooga's flagship performing-arts venue
The Tivoli Theatre opened on March 19, 1921 as one of Chattanooga's grand entertainment venues during the silent-film and vaudeville era. Designed by the prolific Chicago theater firm Rapp and Rapp in collaboration with local Chattanooga architect Reuben Harrison Hunt, the building combined a Beaux-Arts limestone facade on Broad Street with an ornate Renaissance Revival interior featuring a domed auditorium and richly decorated lobby spaces.
The theater seated more than 1,750 across a tiered configuration — 1,012 in the orchestra, 312 each in the upper and lower balconies, 78 in the loge, 48 in upper boxes, and 104 in the removable orchestra pit. The Tivoli was distinguished by being among the first air-conditioned public buildings in the United States, an attraction in itself in the pre-air-conditioned South.
Through the 1920s, '30s, and '40s the Tivoli operated as a first-run movie palace and live-entertainment venue. As suburban multiplexes drew away movie audiences in the postwar era, the Tivoli's fortunes declined, and by the mid-1970s its future was uncertain.
The city of Chattanooga purchased the building in 1976 and undertook a major restoration. The Tivoli was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 11, 1973. Today the theater is jointly managed by the city's Department of Education, Arts, and Culture and the Tivoli Foundation, hosting touring Broadway, the Chattanooga Symphony Orchestra, and concert acts. The theater is nicknamed 'the Jewel of the South.'
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tivoli_Theatre_(Chattanooga,_Tennessee)
- https://www.visitchattanooga.com/listing/tivoli-theatre/1279/
- https://tivolichattanooga.com/
Figures glimpsed backstageUnexplained sounds during performancesApparitions near orchestra pit and dressing rooms
The Tivoli Theatre's haunted reputation is primarily carried by local ghost-tour operators rather than the venue itself. According to tour materials referenced by Chattanooga Rydables and recurring features in Chattanooga seasonal coverage, three recurring spirits are described:
The Musician — a former performer reportedly heard or glimpsed near the orchestra pit and balcony, sometimes associated with brief unexplained snatches of music or audible cues during rehearsals.
The Dancer — a female figure said to appear backstage and in dressing-room mirrors, particularly during dance performances and rehearsals.
The Stagehand — described as an older male figure who 'never left the building,' seen near the fly system and back-of-house catwalks. Crew accounts describe brief sightings followed by an empty corridor.
None of these stories has been independently documented by historians or in newspaper archives examined for this entry — they trace primarily to local oral tradition and ghost-tour narratives, and theater management does not officially endorse the reports. The entity claims rest on a single tradition.
Notable Entities
The MusicianThe DancerThe Stagehand
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tivoli Theatre family-friendly?
Active performing-arts venue; family-friendly. Ghost lore is mild and theater-specific. Overall family fit: High.
How much does it cost to visit Tivoli Theatre?
Ticket prices vary by event; tours by arrangement through Tivoli Foundation.
Do I need to book in advance?
Yes, reservations are required.
Is Tivoli Theatre wheelchair accessible?
Yes, Tivoli Theatre is wheelchair accessible. Terrain: Renovated 1921 theater with ADA-accessible orchestra seating and restrooms.