Millett Opera House, Austin

The Millett Opera House is a historic building in downtown Austin, Texas. Built in 1878 by local lumber seller Charles Millett on one of his lots, the house was one of the largest performance spaces in Texas upon its completion. It featured 800 removable seats, 24-inch limestone walls, and the largest enclosed space in Texas. The Opera House was designed by Frederick Ruffini, a noted architect working throughout Texas.

The Austin Public Free Schools purchased the opera house in 1940. In the 1950s, it was threatened with demolition, but preserved by a local group of concerned citizens. It housed a printing company until 1979.

The Austin Club renovated the building and continues to hold social events here today. The building has been divided into three stories, removing the performance space, but a portion of the original hand-painted ceiling is still installed in one of the meeting rooms.

Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Dtobias.

Sight description based on Wikipedia.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Austin. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from iTunes App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

Download The GPSmyCity App

Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: Millett Opera House
Sight Location: Austin, USA (See walking tours in Austin)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Downtown Historical Buildings Walking Tour

Walking Tours in Austin, Texas

Create Your Own Walk in Austin

Creating your own self-guided walk in Austin is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

Austin Street Art Walk

Austin, Texas may be famed as the “Live Music Capital of the World,” but its street art is as vibrant, funky and diverse as its plentiful music venues. Texas’s capital is peppered with dozens of murals, sometimes in the most unexpected places, among which are several truly iconic pieces like the Historic 6th Street, “Hi, How Are You?” and Austintatious, that illustrate the quirky side of... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.4 Km or 2.1 Miles

Downtown Historical Buildings Walking Tour

Northwest downtown Austin boasts an impressive collection of historic residences of notable styles, ranging from classic Victorian to Georgian to Greek Revival. Carefully preserved and restored, these constructions – from nationally listed historic sites to the significant local elements of the built environment – form a major part of Austin’s cultural heritage and indelible chapter of its... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.4 Km or 2.1 Miles

Congress Avenue Walking Tour

Congress Avenue is the main street in Austin and historically the first one. Since the city's establishment, the street has evolved, and now bears the mark of Austin’s historical and cultural development from the 19th century to today. From the State Capitol grounds to Lady Bird Lake, modern skyscrapers stand next to the old two- and three story buildings, making for an interesting... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.5 Km or 0.9 Miles

Austin Introduction Walking Tour

Despite the official status of Texas' capital, Austin never fails to surprise visitors with its unique artsy community and lively atmosphere. The city proudly wears the title of "The Live Music Capital of the World" thanks to the eclectic live-music scene centered around country, blues and rock, established since the 1970s by the likes of Willie Nelson, Asleep at the Wheel, and... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles