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Where to watch classic films at a one-of-a-kind movie theater in Virginia

It’s one of less than 50 movie theaters in the world that has the capability to screen films in any format — as originally intended.

Located inside the Library of Congress’ National Audio-Visual Conservation Center in Culpeper, Virginia, the theater is open to anyone from the public. The Library screens films three days per week, most weeks of the year, and a lot of the films they show are original prints that can be found in the physical media vaults of the 45-acre campus.

The auditorium space itself is totally unique, with an elegant, timeless style including red velvet cushions, wood paneling and a pit area for an organ player to perform the scores of old silent films they often screen.

The central mission of the Packard Campus Theater is to preserve the traditional filmgoing experience.

In today’s episode of “Matt About Town,” head projectionist David March took WTOP behind the scenes in a way that few ever get to experience.

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Why preserving Shakespeare is still important today

Follow WTOP’s Matt Kaufax as he explores hidden gems, local landmarks and unique stories across the D.C. area every week. New episodes of WTOP's "Matt About Town" segment are released each Tuesday and Thursday. Why Shakespeare? The answer to that question is a deeper one than you think. Over the past two weeks on "Matt About Town," WTOP's Matt Kaufax took you behind the scenes at D.C.'s Folger Shakespeare Library — with videos looking at the earliest published collections of William Shakespeare's most famous plays, the library's rare vaults where these works are stored, and even how these books are preserved.
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