LifeJuneau · April 13, 2026
juneau's old theater lives again
Juneau's 86-year-old 20th Century Theater is reopening downtown under a new name, Aurora Grand.
Daily Alaska staff · April 13, 2026 · Juneau
The 20th Century Theater, an 86-year-old building in downtown Juneau, is reopening under a new name, Aurora Grand, led by a small crew of film and arts lovers who began the revival by clearing out decades of debris from the back rooms behind the screen.
The founders say the name Aurora Grand reflects where the venue is headed, not where it is starting from. The vision is to bring arts and film programming to Southeast Alaska at a scale the region has not seen before, giving Juneau residents a cultural venue downtown that has often felt out of reach compared to what exists in Anchorage or Fairbanks.
The building has been part of Juneau's downtown since before most current residents' grandparents were born, and its restoration is being driven by hands-on community effort rather than a large institutional project.
Separately, downtown Juneau is also seeing a 60 million dollar entertainment complex move through the planning commission process. Aurora Grand represents the grassroots, community-driven counterpart to that larger development, and both are part of ongoing change in the heart of the city.
In this story
Questions people ask
What is reopening in downtown Juneau?
The 20th Century Theater, an 86 year old building, is reopening under the new name Aurora Grand.
Who is reviving the theater?
A small crew of film and arts lovers started the work by clearing decades of debris from behind the screen.
Is this the 60 million dollar complex?
No. They're separate projects. Aurora Grand is the grassroots revival of the old theater. The 60 million dollar complex is moving through the planning commission separately.
What's the goal?
To bring arts and film programming to Southeast Alaska on a scale the region hasn't seen before.
Evidence
Sources
Claims and where they come from
- The 20th Century Theater in downtown Juneau is 86 years old and is reopening as Aurora Grand. · alaskapublic.org
- Organizers cleared decades of debris from behind the screen as the first step of the revival. · alaskapublic.org
- A separate 60 million dollar entertainment complex in downtown Juneau is moving through the planning commission. · alaskapublic.org
Produced with AI assistance, narrated with Slav Lund's voice clone with his consent, and reviewed by a person before publishing. How we use AI →