Murat Centre

Construction of the Murat Shrine Temple began in 1909 with its opening on February 28, 1910. This was a dream come true to the five local masons who first came up with this vision in 1882. This bold landmark was accomplished through studies of Arabian and Egyptian architecture. The studies resulted in enormous towers, copper roofing, patterned brick work, and stained glass windows set within arched openings of varying design. In 1922 an addition was made to the Murat, due to the increased interest in live performances. This new section nearly doubled the size of the Murat with the mighty addition of the Egyptian Room. The Egyptian Room was complete with colorful columns of hieroglyphics and massive chandeliers adorned with glowing busts of King Tut. In 1995, facing a possibility of abandonment, the building underwent a face lift to replace and increase theatre seating, parking, restroom, refreshment and handicap seating facilities, enhancing the caliber of the stage and sound production with state-of-the-art lights and sound. Even with all the changes, the history was preserved - 85% of the theatre?s historic fabric was maintained, chairs, sconces, columns, and stained glass windows untouched. Today the Murat Centre is a downtown favorite showcasing live entertainment acts ranging from Broadway musicals to rock concerts to family productions to comedy shows and more!