Sometimes called the Mosque, the Altria Theater holds the southwest corner of Monroe Park on the campus of Virginia Commonwealth University. Originally built for Shriners of the Acca Temple Shrine, this building is now the largest venue of Richmond CenterStage's performing arts complex. Its life has been many things: in 1940 the City of Richmond purchased the building and converted much of its interior for municipal use.
The Richmond Police Department occupied the theater's basement, opening office space, classrooms, a gymnasium, and even a shooting range for the police academy. An underground swimming pool was maintained for training until it was filled in with concrete during the 2014 renovation. Many locals remember the basement as the spot for VCU class registration, several times each year.
The name changed in 1995 from "The Mosque" to "Landmark Theater" after a year of restoration, and after a $10 million renovation gift from the company the theater was officially dubbed the Altria Theater. Stand here and feel the layers of community life—shrine, city hall, police academy, university, and stage—all gathered in this single, storied building. Monroe Park and the Virginia Commonwealth University campus spread before you.