The 'Aberystwyth Official Guide and Souvenir' published by the Aberystwyth Corporation in 1924 notes that the boards of the Coliseum theatre were frequently occupied by London theatrical companies. It was built in 1904-5 for owner David Phillips by architect J. Arthur Jones of Aberystwyth and builder E E Jenkins. It formed the venue for plays, films, Eisteddfodau, amateur productions, political meetings and concerts until 1932, when it was converted into a cinema. It closed in 1977 and was re-opened as the home of the County museum in 1982.