Originally designed in 1892 as a cable car barn and powerhouse for the Baltimore Traction Company, The Charles Theatre has evolved into Baltimore’s premier destination for independent and foreign cinema. Over the years, the Beaux-Arts building has served as a streetcar depot, a bus barn, a library for the blind, and the Famous Ballroom, a legendary jazz venue.

In 1939, it became the Times Theatre, Baltimore’s first all-newsreel cinema, before being renamed The Charles in 1959. It spent decades as a beloved calendar revival house before expanding in 1999 into a five-screen theater with stadium seating and a stylish lobby.

Today, The Charles blends history with the cutting edge of cinema, screening critically acclaimed indie films, foreign masterpieces, and timeless classics. A true cultural landmark, it remains an essential stop for cinephiles and film lovers alike.