Nickelodeons

Nickelodeons were early movie theaters that appeared in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, primarily from the 1900s to the 1910s. The term combines "Nickel" (the cost of admission) and "Odéon" (a reference to theaters). These venues offered short silent films, often around 15-30 minutes, providing affordable entertainment for working-class audiences. They played a crucial role in popularizing cinema as a mass entertainment form before larger, more elaborate theaters and the modern film industry emerged. Nickelodeons marked the beginning of movie-going culture and the commercialization of the film industry.