On this day: April 23

First Purpose-Built Motion Picture Theater Opens to the Public in 1902

On April 23, 1902, the Eden Musee in New York City opened its new Kinetoscope-style theater — often cited as among the first purpose-built motion picture theaters accessible to the public — marking an early move from nickelodeons and peep-show machines toward communal film exhibition.

First Successful Night-Vision Demonstration, April 23, 1939

On April 23, 1939, an early infrared-based night-vision device was successfully demonstrated in the United States, marking a key step toward practical battlefield night observation and later widespread military use.