Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Macchu Picchu
Peru • 10 days, 9 nights
Peru: Machu Picchu & the Last Incan Bridges
from
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Saquon Barkley Plaque
Kirkkasik Bedesten inside
Kirkkasik Bedesten
Someshwar Temple
Someshwar Temple
Grilled cheese and tomato soup are soulmates.
The Palisades Restaurant
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The local catch is delicious fried as well.
Terry's of Charlevoix
Carlson’s Fishery is a Great Lakes institution.
Carlson’s Fishery
The Cathedral Café maintains the building’s original church exterior.
Cathedral Café
Exterior of the historic Dyffryn Arms pub.
Dyffryn Arms
Most of what’s on the menu here comes from Michigan.
The Glenwood
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Siegfried Tieber specializes in sleight-of-hand magic using small objects, as well as mentalism, which gives the illusion of reading minds.
Does a Magician Really Never Reveal Their Tricks? AO Wants to Know.
10 days ago
Decoy’s wines reflect the terroir of California.
How a Wooden Duck Migrated From the California Wetlands to a Wine Label
13 days ago
There’s more to the French capital than the Eiffel Tower.
Dear Atlas: What Are Some Non-Touristy Things to Do in Paris?
16 days ago
The plants around Liz Dauncey in this photo are not poisonous, but many common garden and houseplants are.
Are Some of Your Favorite Houseplants Poisonous? AO Wants to Know.
23 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Illinois DeKalb The Egyptian Theatre

The Egyptian Theatre

This architectural stunner is one of the few surviving Egyptian Revival theaters in the U.S.

DeKalb, Illinois

Added By
Kerry Wolfe
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
The Egyptian Theatre.   Teemu008
The Egyptian Theatre.   Teemu008
A close-up of the details.   EarlRShumaker
Exterior details.   EarlRShumaker
The stained glass shows classic Egyptian imagery, like this scarab beetle.   Derekgibbs
The amazing interior.   Scott Ratliff
Matching fire hydrant across the street   loganslade24 / Atlas Obscura User
The Egyptian Theatre.   David Brossard
Images of Egypt adorn the interior walls.   Scott Ratliff
  chrisg7989 / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Built in the late 1920s, this theater is a gorgeous example of both Art Deco and Egyptian Revival architecture. The latter phase swept through the United States in the 1920s as the country became gripped by tales of ancient Egypt, thanks largely to the discovery of King Tut’s tomb.

The theater's exterior and interior display beautiful nods to the wondrous civilization. Unlike many other Egyptian revival buildings, this one isn’t merely a mishmash of motifs. Its architect, Elmer F. Behrns, designed the space around a particular theme with Pharaoh Ramses II at its center.

Traditional figures and symbols like the winged sun, pharaohs, and sharp, geometric designs adorn the outside. A large stained glass window looms over the entrance, featuring a sacred scarab beetle holding the sun god Ra while standing atop the Earth. The outside takes the shape of a traditional Egyptian temple, making you feel as though stepping through its doors is like stepping back in time.

The inside, too, transports the mind to a time and place from millennia ago. The lobby floor is covered by a colorful mosaic constructed from tiles that resemble a style of Egyptian pottery made 4,000 years ago. Paintings of Egypt cover walls guarded by columns topped with more traditional designs and relics, making the theater itself look like the backdrop for a movie scene.

Though about 100 Egyptian Revival theaters popped up across the country in the mid-20th century, this architectural gem is now only one of five that still exists today. It's also the only one east of the Rocky Mountains.

The theater narrowly escaped demolition after it shuttered in the 1970s. But thanks to devoted locals who rallied to support it (and its 1978 listing on the National Register of Historic Places), the grand building was saved. People pack into the 1,430-seat auditorium to witness a host of different modern shows and events, all backdropped by images from a long gone era.

Related Tags

Theaters Egyptian Revival Art Deco Architecture

Community Contributors

Added By

Kerry Wolfe

Edited By

cnorton, chrisg7989, loganslade24

  • cnorton
  • chrisg7989
  • loganslade24

Published

March 14, 2018

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/art-deco-illinois?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=atlas-group&utm_campaign=chicago
The Egyptian Theatre
135 N 2nd St
DeKalb, Illinois
United States
41.930927, -88.752573
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Superdawg Drive-In

Chicago, Illinois

miles away

Ghoulish Mortals

St. Charles, Illinois

miles away

Fabyan Villa Museum

Geneva, Illinois

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Illinois

Illinois

United States

Places 368
Stories 18

Nearby Places

Superdawg Drive-In

Chicago, Illinois

miles away

Ghoulish Mortals

St. Charles, Illinois

miles away

Fabyan Villa Museum

Geneva, Illinois

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Illinois

Illinois

United States

Places 368
Stories 18

Related Places

  • Facade of the Manila Metropolitan theater

    Manila, Philippines

    Manila Metropolitan Theater

    This historic Art Deco building embellished with local tropical fruits had fallen into disrepair before a recent restoration.

  • Plaza Theatre

    Stockport, England

    Plaza Theatre

    Opened in 1932, this theater in Stockport's Mersey Square is a bonafide Art-Deco gem.

  • St. Petersburg, Florida

    Floridian Social Club

    From printing money to live music, this Beaux-Arts style building has had many identities over the last century.

  • Theatre front.

    Albuquerque, New Mexico

    KiMo Theatre

    This opulent Pueblo Deco movie palace melds Art Deco and Native American motifs.

  • Replicas of the original effigies to Bastet.

    London, England

    Black Cats of Carreras Cigarette Factory

    Black cat statues guard this temple-like Egyptian revival factory.

  • Pickwick

    Park Ridge, Illinois

    Pickwick Theatre

    A towering Art Deco movie palace made to look like a Mayan temple.

  • Del Oro theatre’s art deco spire.

    Grass Valley, California

    Del Oro Theatre

    A fine mixture of the old and the new topped with an art deco neon spire.

  • Peruse hundreds of antique, vintage, and locally made items at one of West Virginia’s oldest stores.

    Alderson, West Virginia

    Alderson’s Store

    You can still shop in one of West Virginia’s oldest stores.

    Sponsored by West Virginia Department of Tourism
Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.