Dolby Theatre (home of the Oscars) at Hollywood & Highland
WHAT Dolby Theatre (formerly the Kodak Theatre), home of the Oscars
WHERE Hollywood & Highland Center, Hollywood, CA
BACKGROUND INFO
If you've watched an Oscars telecast recently, you're familiar with the Dolby Theatre. It's been home to the Oscars since 2002 and is considered the ceremony's permanent home. Remember this epic selfie?
That was there! You can recreate it (without all the star power) if you find yourself in the Dolby:
And it's not tough to get into the home of the Oscars (except during Oscars week). The theater has also hosted Cirque de Soleil shows, "American Idol" finals, Daytime Emmy Awards, AFI Lifetime Achievement Awards, and live concert events. In recent years it's been home to the Paley Center's annual PaleyFest, which is how I've spent a lot of time there:
The Dolby is part of the Hollywood & Highland complex on Hollywood Boulevard, which is full of shops and restaurants and just steps from TCL Chinese Theatres (formerly Grauman's).
TAKE THE TOUR
If you aren't going to any events at the Dolby, you can still get inside - they offer a tour that walks you through the grand venue. You'll see the lobbies, walk the tunnel that the stars walk after winning, and visit the theatre itself. My cousin Alana and I took the tour just after the Oscars a few years ago, and they still had some of the cutouts in seats that are used for the seating chart. We made sure to sit in Daniel Day Lewis and Ben Affleck's seats.
(FYI: unfortunately, photos aren't allowed on the tour; these are photos I've taken while inside the theatre for events.) You can buy tickets for the tour at the Dolby Theatre box office inside the Hollywood & Highland Center.
The entrance to the theatre is at the top of the grand staircase inside Hollywood & Highland. My friend Alex and I visited more than five years ago, when it was still called the Kodak Theatre:
Alex was hugely into "American Idol" so she was excited to see its one-time finale home.
If you watch the Oscars red carpet, you're sure to recognize the exterior of the Dolby Theatre as well. The exterior is front and center on Hollywood Boulevard, right across the street from the El Capitan and Jimmy Kimmel Live!
During Oscars week, they literally shut down this part of Hollywood Boulevard and roll out the red carpet. It's pretty crazy!
STORY & PHOTO CREDITS
Written by Christina LeBlanc
Location photos by Christina LeBlanc, Alex Poulin, Alana Elowitch, and Alex Jackman
