Since 1927, this ornate Asian-themed movie house has been hosting films, and it’s still a top place for premieres in Hollywood, with arc lights and paparazzi and the hubbub that goes with the movies. But it’s the courtyard out front of the TCL Chinese Theatre that gets even more attention, where more than 200 famous celebrities have left their hand- and footprints in cement, then signed them personally—sometimes with a flourish. Marilyn Monroe made prints with her signature high-heel pumps; John Wayne stepped into wet cement with his cowboy boots on; Star Wars’ R2D2 left wheel prints.
Take a VIP guided tour to peek behind the theatre’s impressive golden doors, and learn more about master showman Sid Grauman, the theater’s original owner. Or, catch a movie—the Chinese Theatre still functions as a regular movie theater for first-run films.