In the early 20th century, there were theatres and auditoriums were built across North America. They would seat thousands for films and live shows, until the rise of television and the multiplex made many of them obsolete.

Starting in 2005, photographers Yves Machand and Romain Meffre started documenting these theaters, some of which have begun to decay, while others have been completely transformed. It's part of an ongoing project that is collected on their website. For a little extra information on each venue, click on the theater's name below each photo (courtesy of Cinema Treasures).

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In the early 20th century, there were theatres and auditoriums were built across North America. They would seat thousands for films and live shows...