Reviews, get directions and information for Niles Film Museum
About
The Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum and Theater is a center for the history of Niles, for the Essanay Film Company and for silent films in general, with an emphasis on the pioneering film companies of the San Francisco Bay Area.
We stopped in on a whim and met Michael, a volunteer who was as knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the silent film era as anyone we've 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.
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.
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.
Niles Canyon is a fun little place. It's where Charlie Chaplin made five movies. There's antique stores, a train through the Canyon, ice cream shop's. A nice place to spend some time....Visited onWeekendWait timeNo waitReservation recommendedNot surePrice for adult entryFree
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 couldn't tell if it was because I was Asian or because I didn't drop anything into the donation basket initially. Otherwise, I loved it being a film enthusiast.
A small but great silent film museum with very friendly helpful volunteers. Limited hours so be sure to check.
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. I'd 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.
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 Niles Theater had a secret vault and what was in it,... Check their web site for weekend silent movie showings with live piano accompaniment. It's sort of steam punky and awesome!
Very good tour, very interesting history. My name playing black and white movies every Saturday night at 7:30.Visited onWeekendWait timeNo waitReservation recommendedYesPrice for adult entryFree
Loved it! Got a special tour of the projection room. Will definitely come back for silent movie night.Visited onWeekendWait timeNo waitReservation recommendedNoPrice for adult entryFree
