The historic Coliseum Theater in Downtown Seattle is harkening back to the original Colosseum in Rome. The Roman structure, colossal in size, was named after the Colossus of Nero—a giant 100-foot bronze statue of Emperor Nero that stood next to the amphitheater.

Starting on Friday, Seattle’s structure will feature statues, sculptures and paintings from local artists for a limited time. It will also be harkening back to its original form, Seattle’s first theater built specifically for screening films, giving hardhat tours of sections of the Marcus Priteca-designed theater hidden from view since 1990.

Reimagined as the Colisevm of Art, the registered landmark, will be open Wednesdays through Sundays from noon to 6 pm through Labor Day. The art show, featuring over 40 local artists, is part of the Conru Art Foundation’s initiative The Summer of Awe.

Guests can visit three distinct galleries opened for The Summer of Awe; The Coliseum Theater, Occidental Fine Arts Center in Pioneer Square (Wednesdays-Saturdays, noon to 6 pm through August 15) and ArtLove Salon in Downtown Seattle (Tuesdays-Saturdays, noon to 4 pm, year-round), all within walking distance. Admission to each gallery is free.

In addition, guests can take hardhat tours of the ornate ceiling, cupola and proscenium arch at the Coliseum Theater. Tours are scheduled Wednesdays through Sundays, starting at 1 pm and 2 pm at the Coliseum Theater. Come as you are.

PublicDisplay.ART served as the curator of the Colisevm of Art’s widely eclectic and electric new exhibit. It is a multisensory art experience set against the backdrop of downtown's historic movie theater. The show will feature works from over 40 local artists, including Bella Kim, June Sekiguchi, Jessie Lipscomb, Hernán Paganini, Mario Fabrizio, Peyboy, Regina Ximena Carrillo Acevedo, Yale Wolf, Mary Welch, Maayan Haim, Lilia Deering, Tomoko Suzuki, and Totally Legit. The exhibit leans heavily into large-scale installations —some tech-driven, some not—and features 12 tiny rooms for solo exhibits, technical marvels, a helluva wall of hanging art, a curated selection of video shorts, an immersive kaleidoscope experience

Artists were paid a fee to participate. Much of the art will be available for sale with all of the proceeds going to the artists. The Conru Art Foundation does not receive a commission.

The year the Coliseum Theater opened was a historic one in Seattle. The Boeing Co. (originally named Pacific Aero Products Company) was founded, the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks were completed, the city came to a halt under one of the largest snowstorms in its history and the Coliseum Theater opened to much fanfare.

The latter would cease operation as a movie theater in 1990 and reopen as the apparel retailer Banana Republic in 1994. With the remodel, the ornate cupola and proscenium arch, original to the movie theater, would be covered by a concrete ceiling.

The ceiling remains covered. For a brief time this summer, however, guests can go on a tour of the historic building, including the historic parts that have been hidden from public view for over 36 years.

WHAT: The Colisevm of Art WHEN: June 26-August 15 WHERE: 1512 5th Avenue (corner of 5th Avenue and Pike Street) INFO: coliseumofart.com