As the national fallout shelter program got underway in the early 1960’s, public fallout shelters were marked in all types of buildings in Massachusetts. As long as the building or space met the criteria set forth by the Office of Civil Defense, it was marked as a fallout shelter.
Although certain types of buildings were very often seen as shelters (schools, municipal buildings, courthouses etc), generally due to their size and construction, some more unlikely places also served as shelters.
That included theaters.
Former Pilgrim Theater, 660 block of Washington St, Boston.
Copyright City of Boston Archives
As the photo above shows, the former Pilgrim Theater in Boston was marked as a fallout shelter (as was the adjacent doorway, which appears to be a separate shelter).
Former State Theater, 617-619 Washington Street, Boston.
Copyright City of Boston Archives
This photo of the former State Theater also shows two shelter signs; one was for the theater, the other for the adjacent Crabtree Building.
Former E.M. Loews Theater, 690-692 Washington Street, Boston.
Copyright City of Boston Archives
One fallout shelter sign is seen on the former E.M. Loews Theater, under the “Center” marquee.
Of the three theaters shown above, only the building that housed the E.M. Loews Theater still remains (a Chinese restaurant now sits where the theater used to be). The other two buildings have been demolished, and the sign at E.M. Loews has been removed.
The Paramount Theater on Washington Street in Boston, the Wang Citi Center (formerly the Music Hall) on Tremont Street, and the Huntington Theater on Huntington Avenue were also fallout shelters. An exterior sign remains at the rear of the Wang, and one is on the front of the Huntington Theater. All the signs at the Paramount were removed before it was renovated to its current state.
In Quincy, the old Wollaston Theater on Beale Street was once a fallout shelter. The exterior sign on the front of it was just removed in late 2013; an interior sign also existed, but it’s current status is unknown.
Although no fallout shelters ever had to be employed for actual use, one can only imagine the mass confusion that might have ensued should a shelter in a theater been needed and a movie or performance was already underway.
Know of another theater that was once a fallout shelter? Contact us.
Fallout Five Zero
The above photographs are property of the City of Boston Archives and used under Creative Commons licensing. No portion of the photographs was changed or altered in any way.
Fallout Five Zero 
