afi silver theatre and cultural center

We are very lucky in the DC area to have one of AFI's film exhibition centers here, even though AFI's main campus is in Hollywood. A longtime member, I have spent many hours at AFI, both in Silver Spring and at its former home at the Kennedy Center, indulging my film addiction, attending many festival and series over the years, and traveling the world from my seat. While I miss the old days having the AFI downtown, its breadth of repertory film offerings -- classic, contemporary, independent, American, and foreign -- ensures that I will continue making the trip up to Silver Spring.

Nice selection, clean space, and competent staff. Parking is close and relatively easy to find. The line moves quickly.

The AFI Silver is a fantastic venue for the film fan of any age. I've watched obscure films, well respected classics, and everything in between. Theater 1 is a gorgeous venue, and the other screens are quite nice, if small. The prices are comparable, the popcorn is tasty, and the staff is friendly. There's ample parking nearby and a metro stop only a couple blocks away. I only wish I lived closer. With an hour or more transit time, I can't do visit more than 10 or 12 times a year, but every trip is a wonderful experience. Try to see one of their showings of a silent film with live musical accompaniment!

You can not find a better place to watch a movie on the big screen. The AFI in Silver Spring is in the restored Silver Theater on Colesville Road. They show a repertoire of about 400 different movies a year - from premiers to the classics to foreign film. So make it a habit to check on line to see what is showing. And when you go you will find state of the art seating, sound and pictures. Enjoy!

I love this refurbished 1930s style theatre with its interesting selection of films and space for socializing before and after, a feature so lacking in most theaters. The theaters are large, seats comfortable, and the popcorn is just right! Check online for the current selections of foreign films, film series, old movies, and domestic offerings.

This is one of the principal cultural resources in the community of Takoma Park. It is centrally located, tastefully designed, and offers a marvelous selection of domestic and foreign films all year long. It also has a number of specialty theme series. I belong to the theater and get regular discounts on tickets. My one complaint is that during certain festivals, like the Latin American Film Festival, membership is not discounted, and moreover, an online ticket in those events does not guarantee you to an event. I'm am hoping these glitches will be resolved as the intelligent staff faces and improves a growing and improved program.

Renovated theatre from the past, home of AFI. Nice snack bar, comfy seats, especially in theater 1, the largest. Great sound system. Always our first choice when doing a night at the movies.

Huge screens, lots of legroom, clean and great decor. Only complaint is wish the seats were more comfortable but enjoyed everything else about this theater. Wish most indie theaters were like this.

This is a lovely and atmospheric place to see a movie. Tons of leg room in the theater, friendly folks at the door, and free refills on soda and popcorn. Beer and wine and a cafe if you choose.

I visited the Silver often in my childhood and teenage years - 60's-70's. They are recreated the one main theater exactly as it was then - AMAZING! The other theaters are cleverly added without distracting from the 60's lobby and overall décor. We watched a movie in one of the newer theaters and were amazed that there was NO sound coming from the surrounding films. An incredible step back into the 60's, but most importantly a theater that will compete with the modern day movies of the 2000's. The restoration foundation is to be commended....

Went to see The Imitation Game (mostly because it's not playing anywhere near me!) and I appreciate the goal of this theater. There are three screens - one seating 75, one seating 200 and one seating 400. It was wonderful to see everyone there supporting smaller, independent movies as well as first run releases. Also surprised that the seats were very comfortable and the floor inclined slightly so the person in front of you doesn't block your view at all. The one thing I was terribly disappointed in was the sound. We sat toward the back in the middle and all I heard during on screen conversations was reverb. It was so distracting and I can't imagine no one else noticed it. That said, it's worth supporting this enterprise.

Support the cause; film appreciation and preservation. This is a great place to see revivals as well as foreign films. There are three theaters at American Film Institute (AFI), the main being huge like it was in the "old days" and two intimate screening ones.

Retro theater is the largest one here - really great for watching movies. Usually go to less well-known films so sit in one of the smaller theaters. However, they are stadium-style so offer a very good viewing experience.

It is such a pleasure to watch movies in the main theater and there are often events with guest artists and directors. Recently attended an event with local TV personalities, Count Gore Vidal and Arch Campbell, and it was a hoot!

Theater #1 in the AFI Silver Theater turns a movie into an event. The seats are comfortable, with lots of leg room. The theater is beautiful, and rarely sells out. Try to catch big movies there--I saw Lawrence of Arabia and West Side Story on the huge screen, and it was amazing.