Sheldon Theatre

The Sheldon Theatre entertains, educates, and enlightens the community and its visitors through the transformative power of the performing arts.

Built in 1904, the Sheldon Theatre is one of Minnesota’s oldest operating theatres and a vital link between Red Wing’s past and future. Known for its ornate “jewel box” interior and ongoing dedication to live performance—even during its years as a movie house—the Sheldon remains a beloved community landmark.

The theatre began with a gift: local businessman and City Council member Theodore B. Sheldon left $83,000 in trust to the City of Red Wing to create a public institution for the common good. His family and the trust chose to build a theatre—only the second city-owned theatre in the U.S. and the first west of the Mississippi.

For decades, the Sheldon hosted touring shows, then shifted to movies after the Great Depression. By the 1970s, with declining revenue and rising competition, its future was uncertain. In 1984, a movement to restore the Sheldon took hold. Thanks to a major public and private fundraising effort, the theatre reopened in 1988 as a home for live arts once again.

In 2018, the community came together to invest in a new round of improvements, ensuring the Sheldon continues to inspire for generations to come.