The Majestic Theatre - Detroit, Michigan - theatre, bowling ally, and tourist location in Detroit

Detroit's Majestic Theatre is one of several in the city designed during the early 20th century by the well-known and prolific local architect C. Howard Crane. The theater was opened in 1920 and could seat almost 1,700 people; at the time it was the world's largest purpose built movie theater; today it is probably best known for its varied program of live music, including rock, jazz and blues.

However, the Majestic is much more than just a great place to hear live music; it also has the distinction of being home to one of the country's oldest operating bowling alleys, the Garden Bowl. The 16 bowling lanes glow in the dark and bowlers also enjoy music from an accompanying disc jockey. The bowling alley was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2008.

The building's Majestic Cafy has long been a favorite place to meet in Detroit, even for those not attending a concert in the building. The cafy offers a selection of American and Mediterranean dishes, served in a dining room featuring exposed brickwork and wooden floors, as well as a good view overlooking the busy street below. The cafy also shows a constantly changing display of paintings by local artists.

The theatre's fazade was designed in an elaborate Italian style, although this was later changed to an Art Deco theme, when the street was widened. It also featured a couple of innovative features for the time: a state of the art lighting system that could be turned up and down and an air-conditioning system that kept the theater cool by using huge fans to blow air on to blocks of ice stored in the basement.

Like several other Detroit theatres, the Majestic has had to change with the times in order to survive and has had several other uses over the years, depending partly on the economic situation at the time. Throughout its almost 100 years of existence, it has been a church, a photographic studio and a shop selling trophies, as well as a movie theatre specializing in third run films.

The Majestic is perhaps best known for its two live music venues, the Magic Stick and the Majestic Theater. Rolling Stone magazine declared that the Magic Stick was the best venue for live music in Detroit. Several local bands have got their start performing at one of the two venues; they have also hosted better-known groups such as Jimmy Cliff, Los Lobos, and Burning Spear. In addition to its program of live music, the Majestic Theater is also available for banquets and can provide outside catering to parties of all sizes.

The building, located on what is often described as Detroit's main street, Woodward Avenue in the heart of the city's Cultural District, also boasts a pizza restaurant and several bars. It has become one of the city's most popular meeting places, as well as one of the best venues for live music in the Midwest and a popular choice for private parties and other events.