Why you should experience Arnold Hall Theater at the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Georgia.
Arnold Hall Theater is a distinguished performing arts venue where the Victorian District's architectural preservation, creative education, theatrical performance, and cinematic excellence support one of SCAD's most dynamic cultural spaces.
Set along Drayton Street near West 37th Street and just steps from Forsyth Park, this beautifully restored theater combines Georgian Revival architecture, elegant historic detailing, advanced performance technology, comfortable auditorium seating, and a spirited calendar of lectures, theatrical productions, film screenings, and university events within one of Savannah's most significant restored academic buildings. Historic character and contemporary performance capabilities create an environment where creative expression flourishes throughout the year. The result is a destination defined by architectural preservation, artistic achievement, and educational excellence.
What you should know about Arnold Hall Theater.
Arnold Hall Theater is best known for occupying the restored 1920 Richard Arnold School building, a Georgian Revival landmark reopened by the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2008 after an extensive adaptive reuse project that transformed Chatham County's first public high school into one of the university's principal academic and performance centers. Constructed in 1920 as 35th Street Junior High School before later serving as Richard Arnold High School, the 88,000-square-foot building was designed around expansive classrooms, terrazzo floors, decorative fountains, and refined civic architecture that remain carefully preserved today. SCAD's comprehensive restoration earned the building LEED Gold certification, making it the university's first environmentally certified academic facility while integrating contemporary instructional technologies within the historic structure. At the heart of the building sits the 607-seat Arnold Hall Theater, which hosts theatrical productions, guest lectures, cinematic presentations, musical performances, academic ceremonies, and signature university programming, including screenings and discussions associated with the internationally acclaimed SCAD Savannah Film Festival. Home to SCAD's School of Liberal Arts, Arnold Hall serves thousands of students each academic quarter while reinforcing the university's internationally recognized philosophy of preserving architecturally significant buildings through adaptive reuse.
Original Georgian Revival architecture, carefully restored historic interiors, state-of-the-art audiovisual systems, and a professionally equipped performance venue continue distinguishing Arnold Hall Theater as one of Savannah's foremost university arts spaces. Its integration of preservation, sustainability, liberal arts education, and performing arts programming exemplifies SCAD's broader commitment to transforming historic buildings into energetic creative environments, establishing Arnold Hall Theater among the university's most significant cultural venues.
How to fold Arnold Hall Theater into your trip.
Arnold Hall Theater works as part of an exploration through SCAD's celebrated academic and cultural destinations.
Begin at Poetter Hall, where SCAD's first restored academic building introduces the university's nationally recognized preservation philosophy before continuing to Arnold Hall Theater. Continue to the SCAD Museum of Art, whose internationally acclaimed exhibitions showcase the university's creative vision through one of America's finest adaptive reuse projects. Conclude at Forsyth Park, where Savannah's celebrated landscapes provide a memorable finale celebrating the remarkable relationship between architecture, public space, and artistic culture. The progression moves naturally from SCAD's architectural origins to one of its principal performance venues before concluding within Savannah's most beloved civic landscape, revealing why Arnold Hall Theater plays such an important role in the university's creative community.
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