Century Cinema is now called MTG Theatre and is part of the Hawkes Bay MTG Museum complex. We have kept this page up to direct those still searching for the old Century Cinema.
Please see our MTG Hawkes Bay page.
Photo courtesy of the Napier City Council Website
Century Cinema History
Part of the Hawkes Bay Museum, this iconic Napier cinema was built in the 70's. Cinema has always been a part of Napier's history with small theatres holding screening way back to the heydays of public cinemas.
For movie goers looking for the latest movies, a trip to nearby Reading Cinemas will offer you a selection of the newest releases. However if you are more inclined towards world cinema and arthouse films, then the Century Cinema could have something interesting for you! Click on the links below to find out more information, and link thru to session times.
Century Cinema was built in 1977 as part of the Hawkes Bay Museum and Art Gallery complex. It was named 'Century' as a commeration of a century of local government from 1874 - 1974. The cinema was not really envisioned as a commercial cinema but rather as a home for the Napier Film Society to show 16mm films. It also served as a theatre for local shows in its early days.
In the early 90's it soon became apparent that Napier needed a venue to show alternative films. The 2 other commerical cinemas in town were only showing the mainstream releases. From this point the Century started to show "offbeat" alternative films to serve the demand that was growing in the local community.
Nowadays the Century Cinemas are called MTG Theatre. Films are now just a part of the new theatre with regular live performances and talks being held here too.
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