Museum of the Moving Image: New York’s TV and Film Museum

What You Need to Know About the Museum of the Moving Image

• Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Elmo, Cookie Monster, and the two grumpy old men in the balcony are waiting for you in New York! The characters from the famous Muppet Show and their creator, Jim Henson, are the subject of a permanent exhibition at the Museum of the Moving Image, New York’s museum of film and television. One of the most surprising museums in New York!
• The museum opened in 1988 in one of 13 buildings from the former Astoria film studios. This New York neighborhood saw the birth of cinema in 1920, when what would become Paramount was established there in 1927. In 1942, the U.S. Army took over the studios and turned them into a propaganda center. Meanwhile, film production shifted to Los Angeles, cementing Hollywood as the new capital of cinema.
• In 1977, the Astoria Motion Picture and Television Center Foundation envisioned a new future for the complex. The idea for a museum was born. Today, the Museum of the Moving Image goes by the nickname MoMI, a reference to the MoMA, the Museum of Modern Art.

What to See at the Museum of the Moving Image

• The museum’s collection contains more than 130,000 objects, including set pieces and filming equipment, particularly cameras. The museum also holds an extensive database of films and television series.
• At the heart of the museum is a permanent exhibition dedicated to the Muppet Show. The museum displays more than 300 objects that trace Jim Henson’s creative universe, including scripts, drawings, costumes, and about 50 puppets from the Muppet Show. You’ll have the chance to meet the original puppets of Kermit the Frog and his girlfriend Miss Piggy.
• The museum also explores Jim Henson’s other creations, particularly Sesame Street and Fraggle Rock. If you were a child in the 1980s, this is your chance to relive some great memories. Several television screens let you watch the most iconic moments from each show. You’ll also see rare behind-the-scenes footage from the productions, with a focus on the puppeteers’ craft. Let the show begin!

Visiting the Museum of the Moving Image

• Address: 36-01 35th Avenue in Queens.
• Subway: 36 Avenue or Steinway Street.
• Hours: Open Tuesday to Thursday from 10:30 am to 5 pm, Friday from 10:30 am to 8 pm, and weekends from 10:30 am to 6 pm. Closed Mondays.
• Admission: $20 for adults, $12 for seniors and students, $10 for children ages 3 to 17. Free for children under 3. Note that access to the Jim Henson permanent exhibition is included with your ticket.
• Tip: The Museum of the Moving Image is free on Thursdays from 2 pm to 4 pm. Keep in mind that these hours draw large crowds, which can make your visit less enjoyable.

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