The Civic

The Civic at THE EDGE was first opened on 20 December 1929 and is one of only seven surviving atmospheric theatres in the world.

The Civic was originally built as a picture theatre for the people of Auckland and was the pride of Auckland for many years. After a $42 million restoration in 2000, The Civic was lovingly restored to its former glory. It is ornately decorated and is famous for its domed ceiling of stars.

This is a flat ceiling cleverly painted to resemble a dome, with thousands of lights as the 'stars’. The 'night sky' is a representation of a Southern Hemisphere sky at 10.00pm on an April evening.

The design style of The Civic is of a Moorish garden at night, with turrets, minarets, spires and tiled roofs and, of course, the famous Abyssinian Panthers.

The Civic seats 2,379 people over two levels. It is host to a range of events including visiting international musicals.

Download a PDF seating map of The Civic - 973KB