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An Exhibition Building opened in Market Square on December 27, 1881. It was located to the west of the Clock Tower, and had a frontage to what became Jacobs Street. The building had over 30,000 exhibits before becoming the Exhibition Theatre with a 1,500 seat capacity.
By the late 1890s The Exhibition Building was known as Her Majesty’s Theatre. Upon the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, it was renamed His Majesty’s and a statue of Queen Victoria was unveiled on May 24, 1904 in her honour.
Julius Solomon renamed His Majesty’s Theatre to The Colosseum around 1907 and sold drapes and clothing from these buildings until the completion of the Solomon’s Building in 1913. During the construction of the Solomon’s Building the two 12 metre towers were removed from the original Exhibition Building and the Queen Victoria Statue was moved to Eastern Gardens where it resides today (Garden Street entrance). The famous fan of the original Exhibition Building was maintained and the Colosseum was returned back to His Majesty’s Theatre following the opening of the Solomon’s Building. Famous Operatic Soprano, Dame Nellie Melba, performed in the theatre in February 1915.
By 1936 the site became Cowley’s Motor Garage until 1961 which saw the building replaced by a multi-story car park to accommodate the growing city traffic.