Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum

37417 Niles Blvd, Fremont, California 94536 USA

94 Reviews

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Reasonable

Closed Now

Opens Sat 12p

Independent

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“where Broncho Billy and Charlie Chaplin made films”

The Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum is a film museum located in Niles, California on the former site of the Niles Essanay Studios where Broncho Billy and Charlie Chaplin made films in the 1910s. It is dedicated to preserving and showing silent films and their history. The silent film historical work of one of the members of its staff, David Kiehn, was featured on 60 Minutes for demonstrating that a film of Market Street in San Francisco was actually made a few days before the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake. Additionally, when Google made a Google doodle for April 15th, 2011, in celebration of Charlie Chaplin's 122nd birthday, Google collaborated with the Niles Silent Film Museum to produce the short.

Reviewed by
Jen R.

November 26, 2023

I've had this little theatre bookmarked for awhile. I think it's cute they have a live pianist for each silent movie night. I brought friends to watch a comedy shorts night and we were all... Read more

Reviewed by
Annabelle R.

June 28, 2022

What a great museum and theater set in a beautiful quaint town. We visited the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum this past Sunday as part of Charlie Chaplin Days, an annual event they hold at the... Read more

Reviewed by
Kathy C.

September 10, 2022

Day trip!! We were on our way back from Palo Alto and decided to stop here on a whim. The museum was free to tour, but they do take donations. The gentleman that was there, Michael, was very... Read more

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