Piper's Opera House

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Piper's Opera House

A Virginia City, Nevada staple, Piper's Opera House is a historic performing arts venue for weddings, concerts, meetings and events. Tours available. Hours vary.

Visit online or call for details. From the 1860s until 1920s, Piper's Opera House attracted famous stars from Europe and the United States and is listed by the League of Historic Theaters. It is one of the most significant vintage theaters on the West Coast. The opera house was condemned in 1920 and went dark for 20 years. In 1940 the family reopened the house as a museum. Significant restoration

was done in the late 1960s by Louise Zimmer Driggs (Piper's great granddaughter). In the 1970s Mrs. Zimmer again reopened the opera house and maintained an active theater and summer concert series through the mid-1980s, at which time family finances and wear and tear on the building forced them to finally close the house. In 1997 the Piper/Zimmer family sold the opera house to Piper's Opera House Programs, Inc., a nonprofit organization established to purchase the opera house. Archeological digs were funded by several sources, and restructuring of foundation support were conducted. In 1999 Piper's Opera House was again reopened as a working museum. Restoration of the grand old structure continues with grant funding, and public tours support the daily operations of the House.

06/01/2026

The story of Piper’s Opera House begins with the discovery that changed Nevada forever ⛏️

When the Comstock Lode was struck in 1859, Virginia City transformed almost overnight into one of the richest and most influential mining towns in the American West. With that growth came grand buildings, entertainment, and gathering places that reflected the ambition of the booming Comstock.

Piper’s Opera House became one of those landmarks — welcoming generations of performers, politicians, miners, and visitors through its doors over the decades.

More than 160 years later, the spirit of the Comstock still lives on inside Piper’s Opera House and throughout Virginia City itself.

📍 Piper’s Opera House | Virginia City, NV

05/29/2026

Something haunted is happening at Piper’s Opera House 👻

Spirits with the Spirits returns to Virginia City on Friday, June 12 for an evening of cocktails, history, and paranormal exploration inside one of the Comstock’s most iconic buildings.

🕯️ Doors open: 5 PM
🥃 Show begins: 6 PM
👻 Haunted exploration: 7 PM

📍 Piper’s Opera House | 21+ only

Whether you’re drawn by the history or the mystery, it promises to be an unforgettable night on the Comstock.

👉 Learn more and reserve tickets here: https://www.spiritswiththespirits.net/

05/27/2026

A glimpse into the early days of Piper’s Opera House 🎭

For generations, Piper’s has stood as part of Virginia City’s story — through booming years, quieter years, and its eventual revival as one of the Comstock’s most treasured landmarks.

Photographs like this are a reminder of just how much history these walls have witnessed over time.

Today, Piper’s Opera House continues to welcome visitors for performances, tours, and community events, carrying that story forward for a new generation.

📍 https://pipersoperahouse.com/

05/25/2026

This Memorial Day, we pause to remember and honor the men and women who gave their lives in service to our country. 🇺🇸

Wishing everyone a meaningful weekend on the Comstock!

05/22/2026

Something mysterious is happening at Piper’s Opera House 👻

With paranormal investigations and haunted events coming up this season, Piper’s continues to embrace the stories and legends that have followed the historic opera house for generations.

From unexplained experiences to the building’s long history, there’s always a little mystery waiting inside.

🎭 History lives here. Visit us: https://pipersoperahouse.com/

05/20/2026

A historic view of Piper’s Opera House 🎭

Photographs like this offer a rare glimpse into Virginia City’s past and the long history of Piper’s Opera House on the Comstock.

For well over a century, Piper’s has remained part of the town’s story, welcoming performances, visitors, and generations of memories through its doors.

It’s remarkable to see how much history still lives within these buildings today.

📸 Charles W. Cushman Photograph Collection
Indiana University Archives Digital Library Program

05/18/2026

An evening of cocktails, history, and paranormal exploration at Piper’s Opera House 👻

Spirits with the Spirits returns Friday, June 12, offering guests a unique after-hours experience inside one of Virginia City’s most historic and talked-about buildings.

The evening includes craft cocktail samples, snacks, a haunted photo experience, historical storytelling, raffles, and a guided EVP ghost exploration session throughout the opera house.

Whether you’re interested in the history, the atmosphere, or the paranormal side of the Comstock, it’s one of the more unforgettable experiences happening in Virginia City this summer.

📍 Piper’s Opera House
📅 Friday, June 12
🎟️ Tickets available now: https://www.spiritswiththespirits.net/

05/16/2026

September 25, 1887 🎹

That’s the patent date stamped into the piano keys still housed inside Piper’s Opera House today.

It’s a small detail, but one that speaks to just how much history still exists within the building itself. These keys have likely accompanied generations of performances, rehearsals, and gatherings over the past century.

Moments like this are a reminder that Piper’s Opera House isn’t simply preserving history , it continues to hold it.

05/14/2026

Among the artifacts and details preserved within Piper’s are handwritten ledgers and records dating back generations. Small pieces of everyday history from Virginia City’s past.

Moments like this are a reminder that places like Piper’s weren’t only performance venues. They were part of the rhythm of daily life on the Comstock, connected to the people and businesses that helped shape the town over time.

It’s often the quieter details that leave the biggest impression.

📍 Visitors can experience these stories and more during a guided tour of Piper’s Opera House: https://pipersoperahouse.com/tours/

05/13/2026

An evening of paranormal investigation at Piper’s Opera House 👻

On Saturday, May 30, guests are invited to experience Piper’s Opera House after dark during a guided paranormal investigation inside one of Virginia City’s most historic and talked-about buildings.

From creaky floorboards and shadowy hallways to the stories that have followed the opera house for generations, the evening offers a unique opportunity to explore the mysterious side of the Comstock.

📍 Piper’s Opera House | Virginia City, NV
📅 Saturday, May 30, 2026

🎟️ Tickets on sale now: vegasafterlife.com

Address

12 N B Street
Virginia City, NV
89440

Telephone

+17758470433

Website

https://pipersoperahouse.com/

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