m-sat 9AM - 5PM
Welcome
to the
Drive-In
Drive-in theaters were huge in the 50s. Now there are only a handful in the country. There is one still in operation in Powell, WY.
Current showtimes are listed below the screen. Movies play all day every day with vintage commercials between showings. We change movies every month and this theater is available to rent after hours for your own use.
The DRIVE-IN THEATER sign hanging in the ceiling came from Laramie, WY. It pointed in the direction of the Skyline Theater which has since closed and become a self storage facility. This sign was covered with plywood and painted something different for a number of years before going to the dump where someone found it, discovered what was under the plywood, and saved it for decades before we recently got it.
LEARN MORE
Speaker Polls
1930's - 1960s
These speakers came from the Ski Hi drive-in theater in Gillette. They would hang on your car window and had a volume knob to hear the sound from the movie. You could also tune in with your car's radio at the risk of draining your battery.
Drizzle Guard
1950's - 1960s
Sold at the concessions stand. An umbrella for your windshield in case it rains while at the drive-in. Saved you from having to use your windshield wipers during the movie.
Theater Seats
1926
These seats are from the original Rex Theater in Gillette, WY built in 1926 before it burned down in 1964. Only a few of these survived the fire.
How It Works
Tubes of glass are heated with a flame to make them soft enough to bend into the desired shape. Then are filled with either neon gas "Red" or argon "Blue" and are sealed air tight. A high voltage current 6000 - 15000 volts is applied to each end and the electricity sparks through gas causing it to emit light. By painting the inside of the glass different colors and combining them with red or blue gas you can achieve a wide variety of colors.
Neon bending is a skilled art with few companies left that still do it. Due to their fragile nature, LED signs have largely taken their place.
Most of our neon repairs are done in Rapid City, SD whereas entire sign restorations are done in Salt Lake City. If you see a sign in the museum with missing letters, they are currently being repaired.
