Golden Rondelle Theater

About

The Golden Rondelle Theater is a theater at the Johnson Wax Headquarters complex of S. C. Johnson & Son in Racine, Wisconsin, United States. Designed by Lippincott & Margulies, the theater was originally the Johnson's Wax Pavilion at the 1964 New York World's Fair. Construction of the theater began in October 1962, and the attraction opened on April 22, 1964, along with the rest of the World's Fair. The theater included 500 seats under a gold-colored, disk-shaped dome raised above ground. Originally, the theater screened Francis Thompson's short film To Be Alive!, and the rest of the Johnson's Wax Pavilion contained shoeshine machines, a home-information center, and a playground.

After the fair, the theater was relocated to Racine, and two brick pavilions designed by Taliesin Associated Architects were built. The Golden Rondelle was mostly rebuilt from scratch, except for the steelwork. It reopened in July 1967 and was renovated in 1976. Since being relocated to Racine, the Golden Rondelle has hosted numerous films, including several produced by Thompson. The theater has also been used for seminars, lectures, meetings, and events, and it has functioned as a visitor center.

Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)。Photography via Wikimedia Commons.