The Museum of Television and Radio
Written: Jul 02 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Quiet, not crowded, relaxing, great nostalgia
Cons: often wait times for viewing library
The Bottom Line: The perfect place for families and media buffs, there's something here for all ages. A relaxing place to escape the crowds of NYC.
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| chrissy1018's Full Review: New York City Museums |
So, you've seen Radio City, Rockefeller Center, The Today Show and the skating rink, and you've shopped and walked, and been jostled every step of the way by the crowds of locals and tourists. Where can you go to relax for a few hours in the heart of the City that never sleeps? The Museum of Television and Radio, of course.
Located at 25 West 52nd Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues (only 3 blocks from Rockefeller Center)the Museum of TV and Radio is the perfect spot to escape the hustle and bustle, particularly for families.
This museum is very different from most you've probably visited. When you first buy your tickets upon entering, you can sign up for a time in the viewing library. There's sometimes a long wait, so if you plan to have lunch, you might want to see about this first, then grab a bite to eat and come back, particularly at the height of tourist season (summer and Thanksgiving-Christmas). Once you've done that and have your ticket in hand and a schedule of exhibits, you might peruse the exhibit in the room directly in front of you. The exhibit changes, but usually features a gallery of pictures or original artwork, along with monitors showing clips. I've seen one exhibit devoted to Jim Henson's Muppets, and another on new and up-coming shows on Cartoon Network.
Next stop, one of the many movie theaters, which you can enter and leave at your discretion, provided they're not filled to capacity. A schedule provided in at the main desk tells what programs are playing where, and there are plenty of staff members around to help you find the right place. The museum is built more vertically than horizontally, so you'll probably have to take the elevator several times. Programs range from a collection of funniest commercials from around the world, to comedy routines by people like Robin Williams to past episodes of popular sitcoms like "Friends" and "Seinfeld". It's rather like going to a movie theater that shows great television.
So now you look at your watch, and see that it's just about time for your turn in the video library. This is my favorite part. First you'll use a computer terminal to choose the programs you want to watch. The museum has a vast archive, though the computers can be a bit slow, particularly if you're accustomed to a high speed internet collection. However, if you want to see the pilot episode of "The A-Team", reminisce with the Smurfs, or see Stephen Sondheim's 1960s made-for-TV musical "Evening Primrose", this is the only place to go.
Once you've made your selections, the staff will set them up for you (this usually takes about ten minutes) and then it's down the stairs to the viewing room, where you'll have a monitor, controls to fast forward, rewind, etc. and headphones. If you're with someone else, you can view programs together, or each chose your own favorites.
The great part of this museum is you can customize it to your own tastes. There's really something here for everyone, and it's a nice place to be able to rest your tired feet from all that pavement pounding, not to mention the only place you can view many of those lost but not forgotten TV and Radio programs.
On your way out, you might stop at the small gift shop, where they sell videos and audio recordings of shows, as well as books, magnets and various other TV and radio related items.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Families
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime
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Epinions.com ID:
chrissy1018
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Location: New York
Reviews written: 48
Trusted by: 2 members
About Me:
Avid reader, professional book editor, singer, musical theater collector.
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