What's to Do and See?
The Museum of Television and Radio in New York is unique in that it is not the type of institution that collects artifacts and displays them behind glass exhibition panes. In fact, in layman’s terms, it is not a ‘museum’ per se. The museum comprises mostly of screening rooms and two full sized theaters. The visitor to the museum is allowed access to the library, chooses a program from the vast collection and then enters a console to watch the program. There is the option of watching individually or in a group of up to four (by using the family consoles available). Visitors can choose to view up to four broadcastings per visit.
Obviously, not everything that is ever broadcast is held in the museum’s library. Like any other museum, the collection is curated and the ‘items’ are chosen on the basis of the way they impact society, how important they are on an historical basis or whether they are artistically successful. Today, the collection numbers approximately 120,000 programs which span nearly 9 decades in the history of radio and television. There are classic radio announcements dating as far back as 1918 and contemporary television series such as “Friends” and “Desperate Housewives”.
Examples of the collection
Key moments in the Civil Right’s Movement struggle.
Top news in the Middle East conflict.
Radio broadcast of FDR addressing the nation during the Great Depression.
Popular series through the ages, such as Seinfeld, The Cosby Show and Mary Tyler Moore.
The collection is also not limited to the media in the United States. Over seventy different countries are represented in the Museum of Television and Radio, with over seven thousand items from around the world. The collection therefore cuts through every barrier – language, culture, mental and genre. Visitors are able to find anything that appeals to them, ranging from comedy, action, drama, thrillers, music, news, documentary and even children’s programs.
Another aspect of the Museum of Television and Radio is the theater. On a regular basis – almost daily, in fact - the museum has screenings of popular programming from its collection. Visitors can view anything from the most popular advertisements to the performance of famous rock stars. This has the advantage of allowing viewers the experience of sharing television together with others. Of course, all the programs are also available through the collection library.
The museum strives to bring together professionals in the field of media, and visitors can enjoy regular public programs that assemble speakers, critics, journalists, actors and others from a great many disciples and fields who are brought together to discuss issues at hand.
Entrance to the Museum is subject to a fee, which allows visitors access to the library. There also exists the option of becoming a member of the museum and is especially beneficial to visitors who wish to spend longer in the consoles to watch programs or to take advantage of substantial discounts on events that happen throughout the year at the museum. Members also have the benefits of preview screening events and seminars.
Kids will also find the museum interesting, thanks to the wide range of classic and contemporary shows in the collection, as well as special workshops and weekend activities. The popular “Re-creating Radio” workshop allows kids and their families to learn all about the radio industry, including script reading, sound effects and others.
The museum offers visitors the chance to shop on the main floor and pick from many traditional items such as t-shirts, postcards and posters, as well as books and texts related to the world of television and radio through the ages.
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