Grauman's Chinese Theatre

Grauman’s Chinese Theatre is a historic movie palace on Hollywood Boulevard in the Hollywood neighborhood of Los Angeles, opened in 1927 and known for its distinctive Chinese-inspired exterior and celebrity concrete signatures.

The forecourt displays the theatre’s best-known attraction - concrete slabs bearing the handprints, footprints and autographs of film stars dating back to the late 1920s. The theatre also hosts film premieres, special screenings and large-format movie presentations inside its main auditoria.

Built and opened by showman Sid Grauman, the theatre was intended from the start as a glamorous venue for film premieres and public events and has continued in that role through multiple renovations and ownership changes. Its forecourt tradition began at opening and expanded in the 1930s as more stars participated.

Located on Hollywood Boulevard near Highland Avenue in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles, it sits amid other tourist attractions and entertainment venues on the city’s well-known boulevard.

• Forecourt viewing: The forecourt is publicly accessible at street level and can be viewed without entering the theatre, but arrive early in the day for smaller crowds.
• Event days: Many major Hollywood premieres and red-carpet events are still staged here, so schedules can cause heavy pedestrian and vehicular traffic on Hollywood Boulevard.

What to See #

• Forecourt of the Stars: An open-air forecourt of concrete slabs set in front of the theatre where dozens of film stars have left handprints, footprints and signatures since the late 1920s; the tradition began with the theatre's opening and continues to be its main outdoor attraction.
• TCL Chinese Theatre auditorium and screening spaces: The main cinema building is a Chinese-themed movie palace that has hosted major Hollywood premieres since 1927 and contains one or more large screening auditoria, including modern large-format presentations and special-event screenings.