A registered Calgary historic site, the Pumphouse Theatre building was originally constructed as a station to pump water from the nearby Bow River: it served Calgary from 1913 to 1967. 

In 1968 it was saved from demolition and restored and equipped with two fully functioning theatres. 

Today, the unique building provides subsidized theatre rental space to over 15 arts organizations who in turn produce an average of 40 productions and 400 performances a year. 

The diverse groups that perform at Pumphouse include large, established companies and small up-and-coming artist collectives. As a result, the shows range from blockbuster musicals to Irish dramas to edgy performance art.