The theatre was founded by
Abraham Icek Tuschinski, together with his brothers-in-law Hermann Gerschtanowitz and Hermann Ehrlich. Tuschinski already operated four theatres in Rotterdam and wanted to open a worldclass theatre in Amsterdam. Construction started on 18 June 1919, the theatre was built in
Art Deco,
Jugendstil and the
Amsterdams School style at a cost of circa
ƒ 4 million. Tuschinski wanted to open the theatre with the first
theatre organ in the Netherlands; unfortunately
Wurlitzer could not deliver in time; determined to open with an organ Tuschinski travelled to Brussels to acquire an existing one from another cinema. On October 28, 1921, the theatre opened its doors and the next day Dutch newspaper
Het Vaderland wrote: "We declare before us generously that the wildest expectations have been exceeded and that Mr. Tuschinski has donated a theatre to our country which is unparalleled." The theatre contained electro-technical features, then considered revolutionary. Its unique heating and ventilation system kept the temperature even throughout the building. During the occupation in July 1941 a fire broke out in which murals of Pieter den Besten were lost. Tuschinski and Gerschtanowitz were deported to
Auschwitz and Ehrlich to
Sobibor; all three were murdered by the Nazis in 1942. In 1983 the Nöggerath Cinema, which was located on the same block, was acquired and renamed Tuschinski 3. The entire complex was sold in 1985 to Cannon and again in 1991 to MGM Cinemas. The French-based
Pathé acquired the MGM Cinemas chain in The Netherlands including Tuschinski in 1995. They renovated the cinema from 1998 to 2002 to its original style and a corridor was constructed to Tuschinski 3, giving the complex a total of 6 auditoriums. Leading up to the cinema's centennial in 2021 Pathé renovated the complex yet again. This time auditorium 2 was brought back to its former glory, including the lost murals of Pieter den Besten. The former Nöggerath auditoriums were also given an update and in their foyer
Bar Abraham opened. During the centennial
Time Out magazine named Tuschinski the most beautiful cinema in the world. On 28 October 2021
Femke Halsema, mayor of Amsterdam, announced that
King William-Alexander granted the cinema the royal predicate, renaming the complex to
Koninklijk Theater Tuschinski (Royal Theatre Tuschinski). == Architecture ==