The historic Eagle Theatre, located adjacent to the California State Railroad Museum in Old Sacramento State Historic Park, is a reconstruction of the first building erected in California specifically as a theatre.

The Eagle Theatre enjoyed a celebrated yet short history. Completed in October 1849 with a wood frame and canvas siding, the Theatre's building materials were “appropriated” from abandoned ships left in the Sacramento River, while their owners were off seeking their fortunes during the California Gold Rush. Unfortunately, the Theatre provided entertainment for a mere 3 months before being inundated in the flood of January 1850.

Today, the Eagle Theatre offers a Docent-led program that includes a 12-minute, multimedia presentation, “City of the Plain,” which explains and illustrates Sacramento’s beginnings and its early history as the commercial center of the California Gold Rush.

The Program runs Tuesday through Friday for grades 4 through 6. Hourly entry times are available from 10 a.m. through 3 p.m.

Reservations are required for the Eagle Theatre School Entry Program. Please contact ReserveAmerica toll-free at (866) 240-4655 to reserve your entry time. For additional information, please contact the Group Information Desk at (916) 323-9274.