Presentation on Map Reviews Nearby

Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum in Fremont

4.6 (115) 37417 Niles Blvd, Fremont, CA 94536, United States

Categories

Museum
Tourist attraction

Location on the map

Fremont, Alameda County, California, US

Phone: +1 510-494-1411
Site: http://nilesfilmmuseum.org/

Opening hours

Monday:Closed
Tuesday:Closed
Wednesday:Closed
Thursday:Closed
Friday:Closed
Saturday:12–4 PM
Sunday:12–4 PM

Edit info

Total reviews rating 4.6

115 Reviews for Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum 2024:

Review №1

2024-05-20 22:01:20

Very nice and intimate movie theater that has that old-fashioned experience when Charle Chaplin was alive playing the, Tramp! Homemade popcorn smell permeates the theater. Live piano player and comedy act before the movie plays. Great family activity. As an audiophile, I noticed they use Belle Klipsch speakers for sound reinforcement. Very nice! Great place to visit their museum and watch movies on movie nights on the weekends.

Review №2

2024-05-31 04:18:56

Daycation to Niles, “America’s First Hollywood”This is a hidden gem in Fremont Niles.The Edison Theater was built in 1913 making it a Historic Theatre where Charlie Chaplin filmed 5 movies. In 2004, the newly formed non-profit group Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum was able to rent and begin restoration of the Edison Theater. The Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum sits on the spot of the old studio and features a collection of memorabilia, films, books, posters and photos documenting “America’s first Hollywood.” The Film Museum is more than a repository of photographs, posters, books and artifacts; it is a resource for all facets of silent film-making, from their planning and production to their presentation.

Review №3

2024-05-25 19:20:49

The museum houses some old movie equipment in good condition and photos from the past. The curators shared interesting stories of the history of the Essanay Studio. The silent movies shown during our visit were slap stick and disappointing.

Review №4

2024-01-08 20:29:14

A good place to learn about historyThe team was very knowledgeable and helpfulThe visit to the projection room was very interestingThey have a weekly silent movie night see web site for details

Review №5

2024-04-22 15:58:55

If youre even remotely into art, this place is a must visit! Imagine a place where once a great comic like Charlie Chaplin walked!For all we know, this place could have been the main Hollywood which got somewhat lost in time. Id recommend the Bikers Bar just next door too. So much fun it is!

Review №6

2022-05-17 14:45:39

The silent film museum is full of history and admission is free; however donations are welcome. There are a lot of cool cameras and pictures to see. They even have some antique seats from the theater. Per the person who attends the theater you can touch but be very careful, he was very welcoming and he likes questions. Bring your children if you have any you will be surprise how amaze they get when they see all the films and the things that were used to produced movies back in the days. There area a lot of antique stores near the theater and a little park across from it. there are also places to eat, from pizza, to American food, even ice-cream shops. Have fun and enjoy the place.

Review №7

2022-05-24 16:00:13

Niles Canyon is a fun little place. Its where Charlie Chaplin made five movies. Theres antique stores, a train through the Canyon, ice cream shops. A nice place to spend some time....

Review №8

2023-09-28 22:20:15

It is a great little museum with lots of old movie-relared objects. I wish it explained the history of this amazing place more! We learned more from a volunteer than from all exhibitions in a museum.

Review №9

2022-01-25 21:37:44

Lovely little museum that is a tribute to early film and answers the question: Where did Charlie Chaplin produce films besides Hollywood? A lot of great vintage film equipment and artefacts from that era. Just be careful, I got a little side eye from the staff. I tried to diffuse it with a friendly glance, but just got a terse nod from the old timer there. (I couldnt tell if it was because I was Asian or because I didnt drop anything into the donation basket initially.) Otherwise, I loved it being a film enthusiast.

Review №10

2019-12-17 08:36:34

The museum is amazing, with old artifacts of the early movie theaters and silent studios. The guided tour was so wonderful -- you get to hear how Fremont was Hollywood before Hollywood was more than a neighborhood of LA; how the NilesTheater had a secret vault and what was in it,... Check their web site for weekend silent movie showings with live piano accompaniment. Its sort of steam punky and awesome!

Review №11

2024-03-29 04:43:33

👉 NILES ESSANAY SILENT FILM MUSEUM & EDISON THEATER 👈my grandparents had a silent movie theater in Hollister California 1920sESSANAY Studios was a American Classic Gemstone & Cornerstone of the early days of the American Film Industry on the West Coast...You Will Enjoy Your Self* welcome to the the original nickelodeon and edison theaters of yesteryear technology* welcome to the birth of the film industry* welcome to,Old Niles Historical DistrictI personally love the place😎 d.d.p.ps... the popcorn is very good and the price is right... enjoy...

Review №12

2024-03-10 07:19:13

Remodeled old movie house, that has maintained its quaint flavor.It is attached to the Museum. Great place for the whole family!

Review №13

2023-10-13 22:59:58

We stopped in on a whim and met Michael, a volunteer who was as knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the silent film era as anyone weve ever met. Not a large museum by any means -- you can probably view and read all the static displays in about 30 minutes, but it is nonetheless worth every minute of your time. Perhaps the most exciting aspect of the museum is the fact they have several examples of hand-cranked arc lamp projectors that you can actually touch and crank yourself! The history behind the Niles Essanay Film Studio is fascinating and informative. We learned a tremendous amount about film history in the short time we were there. Please make a generous donation to this important little slice of American film history. Highly recommended.

Review №14

2023-03-26 23:08:59

A small but great silent film museum with very friendly helpful volunteers. Limited hours so be sure to check.

Review №15

2020-02-16 00:58:58

Thats the place where Chaplin was building his career. Atmosphere inside the museum allows you to feel the times of early 1900th. Moreover, you can see how movies were made at that time. Local guide will tell you a lot of other amazing facts about Niles and filmography. Even if youre not a fan of old films, you should see this place at least once and dive into atmosphere of 1900th.

Review №16

2021-09-26 22:26:56

What a great museum. Completely volunteer based, these people know their stuff and truly love silent films and movies. Cant wait to go back when they open the theatre for silent movie nights again.

Review №17

2023-04-24 20:10:19

This quaint museum dedicated to the silent movie era with a theater showing silent movies on Saturdays, situated in Niles Canyon in Fremont. There used to be a thriving silent movie industry here in the past. Id come not solely to visit the museum but to see this part of town that so different from the rest of Fremont. It looks like it came from a throwback period of the old West.

Review №18

2022-04-21 19:29:49

Its a small museum and a fun place with old filming equipment.

Review №19

2017-11-04 21:38:36

Enough exhibits to fill the senses taking you back to the silent era. Great folks running the museum and souvenirs at very reasonable prices. No entrance fee allows for a souvenir or two.

Review №20

2021-12-21 06:19:27

Free admission. A gem in niles canyon because of its Hollywood past.

Review №21

2017-11-02 06:43:46

Great Lovecraft films with the director of the silent feature, The Call of Chthulu, speaking last Sunday.

Review №22

2022-12-13 06:47:20

Great little museum! Learned a lot! I had no idea Niles had a silent film company and that Charlie Chaplan filmed some of his most well loved films here!

Review №23

2019-08-02 19:55:20

Great historic museum. Buster Keaton is one of the greatest lesser known actors of American Film and to this day one of my favorite actors of all times. Chaplin is a great one too but much better well known.This museum is great to get an insight of the genre of film that launched the Film Industry and revolutionized entertainment.If you ever have the chance to see a REAL silent movie in a REAL theater than do it. its quiet and experience

Review №24

2018-11-21 23:44:06

I have been living in and around Niles all of my life.I was walking through Niles with a friend from out of town and we walked into the Museum. I believe our tour guide had mentioned the Museum had opened in 2012.I had been living away from my hometown for several years.Was really nice to discover this Museum, the tour guide was knowledgable, and friendly.I learned a few things that I didnt already know, saw the theater that featured silent movies, saw the projection room full of old reels, and antique equipment.My friend was very impressed to learn that nearby Niles Canyon was frequently used as a backdrop for some of the movies for Bronco Billy and Charlie Chaplin.There were framed photographs on the walls of the bungalows that housed the casts and crews in the alleys behind the buildings on the main street, also a souvenir shop.We very much enjoyed the display of antique clothing worn for that period.No fee to enter or tour, however, a donation jar is on the counter if you wish to support their efforts.Large parking lot across the street for free parking.Enjoy!

Review №25

2018-08-28 19:40:04

If you enjoy local history, the Museum is a treasure trove of local history....and its connection to the film industry. They also show Silent Movies every Saturday night. The piano accompianist is remarkable, playing background music for the movie with no sheet music and playing non stop for the length of the show. Amazing!! Now thats Talent. The evening we attended the movies, there were quite a few school aged children in the audience. I thought they would be bored because they were used to all the modern movie technology, but to my surprise, they were loving it all. Some school classes go there as a field trip and make their own videos at the location spots they had seen in the movies. There is a walking tour of all the historic locations. A definite Must Visit!

Review №26

2018-11-23 17:43:13

Interesting stop on our visit to Niles. Our docent was very knowledgeable and it was a nice tour. Id like to go back and enjoy a movie! Its tiny and the gift shop is bigger than the museum itself. Worth a look!

Review №27

2016-06-15 07:55:11

A cultural cornerstone of the area. Their walking tour is an enjoyable and informative stroll about the neighborhood loaded with historical insights and anecdotes, definitely recommended if you havent been to the area before. The exhibits are highly accessible; no ropes or glass keeping you from getting a close up look at their collection of vintage moviemaking equipment. The staff is friendly and interactive, happy to relate more information. Ask for a tour of the original projection room!

Review №28

2023-06-04 20:37:25

Very good tour, very interesting history. My name playing black and white movies every Saturday night at 7:30.

Review №29

2018-08-10 20:19:03

They had some cool stuff on display. Old time movie cameras, pictures of Charlie Chaplin making movies or just walking around town, and old movie clips running in different areas. On Saturday nights they run a full length silent movie and have a piano player accompany the film just like they did in the old days.

Review №30

2018-01-09 23:07:06

The good folks that operate Niles Essanay Museum are hard working dedicated, knowledgeable and very kind people.If you havent visited this place yet, I highly recommend that you add the Niles Essanay Museum to your list of must sees.It has a plethora of historical items and stories that will make you feel like you have stepped back in time in a very good way.

Review №31

2018-12-16 21:08:27

I had a blast! I had no idea this place existed untill last night. Check with them as to which films are showing for that evening. Saturday nights are comedy. Last night had 4 comedy shorts by Charley Chaplin, Buster Keton, Laurel and Hardy.... between viewings are short fun lectures or better described stories and fun facts about each movie and about the movies made at the film studio that was in operation in the Freemont -Niles area in the 1910s and 1920s. The museum has displays of vintage cameras, props, costumes, photos ....all the equipment used at the time. Also a short visit to the projection room that had been boarded up for 80 years. Very casual and fun.

Review №32

2019-12-21 01:25:11

Very interesting historical spot to learn history about the Niles town and area.

Review №33

2018-05-14 03:21:39

This is a nice little day trip we didnt get to see everything . so will be going back but the museum is nice to get to see where Charlie Chaplin made a few short films and there re storing it is nice. We stumbled on this Place on a accident So well go back and make it a full day

Review №34

2018-11-27 20:09:28

Love this place! Went there for a Laurel and Hardy film festival. It was so much fun. David Newell, who played Mr. McFeely, the postman, on Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, was a special guest at the theater that day. This place is great fun for the entire family!

Review №35

2024-05-26 15:23:40

Friendly staff. Interesting tour

Review №36

2019-06-18 15:28:34

Loved the trip to yesteryear in quaint Niles, CA. Hopefully the town wont change too much. Silent Film Museum was amazing. Need to go back to soak it all in. Highly recommend visiting this town!

Review №37

2018-01-03 14:33:12

We drive from Stockton to Niles every couple of months for comedy nights. Our kids have developed a true love of silent films because of what this museum has done. Love them!

Review №38

2018-10-31 16:30:43

A great experience! Brought the family here. Fun way to learn history and have a wonderful time. First time people get to go into the projection room which was sealed for 80 years. We will be going again.

Review №39

2018-02-02 23:49:46

What a gem! I love this nostalgic museum... quaintly nestled in downtown Niles. I loved the Ronald J Fields film night which showcased the movie... David Copperfield... featuring his grandfather WC Fields.

Review №40

2022-11-20 02:35:57

We were there during the day and didnt catch a movie this time, but the museum is a nostalgic look back at the early film days. What fun.

Review №41

2023-07-02 04:28:49

Loved it! Got a special tour of the projection room. Will definitely come back for silent movie night.

Review №42

2023-04-10 04:40:30

This place is definitely worth visiting. The silent movie experience is exceptional. Rich history and retro feeling

Review №43

2018-08-11 23:30:19

Funky but wonderful museum, screening room and gift shop. Every kind of cool thing you can think of relating to the early days of film. Flip books, zoetropes, t-shirts, posters, etc. check out their historical tours.

Review №44

2019-12-17 03:05:29

Very informative and awesome place to know about the history of films. They have a show on Saturday as well. They have multiple models of cameras and artifacts from the silent film era and an actual ticket booth!

Review №45

2018-11-29 07:43:13

I was heartbroken when I found out the museum is only open sat and sun

Review №46

2018-09-02 22:08:47

Cute museum. Lots of original film equipment, Charlie Chaplin memorabilia, and a real silent movie theatre! A cute place to visit and learn more about Chaplin and silent films.

Review №47

2018-10-07 06:39:18

Took me back the memory lane. Oh what a beautiful place and thanks to the curators and contributors and donators to keep this place running. One shouldnt miss their film screening.. just got old times sake. Support local business.

Review №48

2023-06-28 04:52:32

Wonderful museum. Looking forward to watching a silent film here.

Review №49

2023-08-20 17:14:56

Step back in time where piano fills the air. Forget about the current world and lose your self in the era of silent film.

Review №50

2019-08-11 15:38:40

This is a cool little museum out in the boonies. We didnt know they showed silent films as well, as we didnt go on that day. Quite a drive out there. Make plans to see other things.

Review №51

2019-12-15 06:36:47

Amazing!!!!!! Lots of. Silent film history. Great movies playing weekends. A nice gift shop. $$ attendant was knowledgeable friendly and helpful.

Review №52

2023-11-25 19:33:12

Small place but great to see where the technology started from

Review №53

2023-08-09 04:51:11

Live music. Knowledgeable historians. Real projector from over a century ago with arc lamp

Review №54

2019-07-14 04:49:09

Lotsa fun and we learned a bunch about Niles and its part in creating the film industry today. Very interactive, it did not disappoint.

Review №55

2019-01-20 17:36:40

Niles silent film Museum is a treasure for the community it is rich with silent film history. Here you can learn about Essanay Silent Film Studio where Charlie Chaplin film three of his movies and who was Bronco Billy?

Review №56

2020-02-06 00:49:36

Wonderful group of volunteers who keep the history of the movies made here alive and interesting. Hoping to return again and again. Great weekend.

Review №57

2019-04-14 06:10:55

Very good, interesting. Much better than todays movies. Staff there was very nice and showed us around the theater.

Review №58

2023-11-19 14:07:01

Look out for the annual competition when people dress up as Charlie Chaplain.

Review №59

2019-12-02 15:45:32

Come and see!Fascinating place, great exhibition, very knowledgeable and interesting docent, lots of stories buried in this Jewel of Nile!

Review №60

2016-10-21 02:50:18

Nice and small, attracting knowledgeable and deeply interested people, who will gladly tell about its history and projectors on display. Worth a visit.

Review №61

2019-04-21 04:16:12

Small museum with some good photos and itemsyou can check out the museum first, then go to the near by park to enjoy nature

Review №62

2018-06-08 06:10:56

Really enjoyed this cool little museum. The antique film projectors and old photos were really cool.

Review №63

2018-12-31 14:04:17

Nice small theater filled with history. Enjoyable silent films with perfect piano accompaniment.

Review №64

2019-06-30 02:19:29

Lovely old time theater. Watch movies like they did in the 20s. Silent with live musical accompaniment.

Review №65

2018-11-11 02:08:57

Nice little museum with a great little gift shop. You can buy old Chaplin movies.

Review №66

2023-08-28 02:15:54

Great place to watch silent movies and classic cinema.

Review №67

2019-11-04 15:47:12

More people should know about this place! So fabulously quirky, and a sincere throwback to yesteryear. I love the dedication of the staff

Review №68

2024-05-11 12:41:08

Wonderful local mainstay

Review №69

2022-11-14 05:19:42

I very much enjoyed the movie and the museum!

Review №70

2015-05-31 00:56:56

Must see place for film buffs. Historic theater dating back to around 1915

Review №71

2023-02-08 21:32:18

Very interesting and a knowledgeable staff. A fun unique experience.

Review №72

2020-02-12 00:28:33

My father took all us kids there and we had a really good time. When I say kids we are all in our 60s.

Review №73

2020-03-09 13:22:05

100 year old silent movie theatre and museum showing movies with live piano accompaniment.

Review №74

2022-01-30 01:43:42

Incredible place, amazing history. Long live cinema!

Review №75

2017-10-31 19:14:03

This is a very cool museum of the early days of film making in the area.

Review №76

2017-04-15 05:02:48

Everyone is so brilliant here and this is such a special place! I took my students here with special needs and they were so good to them

Review №77

2019-08-06 23:28:56

Nice little museum and gift shop devoted to the film history of Niles

Review №78

2018-02-27 21:47:51

Cool little place seemingly in the middle of nowhere. They saw silent movies with a piano every weekend.

Review №79

2018-12-28 05:08:02

Wonderful, most of earlier Charlie Chaplin movies were made here

Review №80

2017-06-09 20:15:46

Step back in time, see old pictures produced in the town of Niles. Fun place!

Review №81

2019-10-12 22:00:53

A treasure of cinematic history and promoter of early film. Wonderful and unique.

Review №82

2018-12-23 23:52:51

Amazing lessons in history. Well preserved and presented. And just fun.

Review №83

2023-06-12 21:04:28

Great hosts.

Review №84

2018-10-30 19:08:56

Very interesting look at the bay area place in the early days of movie making

Review №85

2019-08-28 01:21:33

Interesting look at movie place that pre dates Hollywood with silent films.

Review №86

2021-08-14 03:23:27

Our visit to the museum was very educational.

Review №87

2017-03-13 22:16:29

Was a silent movie theater and is again along with a museum and items of merchandise from that era.

Review №88

2017-06-04 22:20:16

If you are interested in silent film, this is a must visit.

Review №89

2019-08-24 14:08:43

Quaint, charming, interesting and fun! Catch the silent film nights!!

Review №90

2018-07-25 06:43:55

Got to meet surprise guest Mr Mcfeely at a Laural and Hardy film festival

Review №91

2017-08-29 03:39:21

Great place to visite, youll learn a lots

Review №92

2019-11-12 06:47:41

I wish they were opened more often per week!

Review №93

2017-02-13 01:53:23

Interesting museum for film history buffs.

Review №94

2017-10-08 03:26:28

Great for kids & adults of all ages!

Review №95

2023-06-18 02:05:20

Nice history for the community!!

Review №96

2017-12-18 15:07:18

Good old machine displays.

Review №97

2018-11-30 00:43:55

Great time to meet Charlie chaplain

Review №98

2018-06-09 22:09:44

Really cool place to visit.

Review №99

2019-01-22 13:27:15

Nice little silent film studio good movies

Review №100

2018-08-25 23:01:35

Beautiful memories of Charlie Chaplin

Review №101

2017-12-30 16:16:12

Everyone should pop into this at least once.

Review №102

2018-08-07 23:48:03

My boys and i love this place

Review №103

2018-07-26 14:05:39

Go there!! Neat place!!

Review №104

2018-06-01 03:55:50

Small but amazing

Review №105

2018-09-23 05:20:35

This place is very cool

Review №106

2020-06-08 23:35:49

A true local treasure!

Review №107

2017-01-09 20:57:20

Nice free Sunday

Review №108

2019-08-01 16:11:07

Cool Niles history

Review №109

2020-02-24 00:59:19

Cute interesting place

Review №110

2018-02-16 22:14:12

Novel and interesting.

Review №111

2019-08-25 06:12:20

Great experience

Review №112

2020-01-19 00:05:52

A fun stop!

Review №113

2018-11-26 01:21:46

Interesting.

Review №114

2019-01-15 06:17:13

We know the town of Niles because there is a museum here (Niles Essanay Silent File Museum) that collects all of Chaplins film works, as well as the hotel where Chaplin stayed and the coffee shop he often visited, EssanayCafe[coffee][coffee]. The essence of the town, in addition to the silent film museum, is also full of old buildings and various sentimental thrift stores. You can linger among the galleries and old record stores, reminisce about the old times 100 years ago, and feel this living atmosphere. Cultural relics, rich American western culture, suddenly emerged [coffee][coffee]

Review №115

2022-02-07 09:48:57

A very unique town with not many people, suitable for leisure.