I visited The Paley Center on a Wednesday afternoon in May, 2026. The museum is named after William Paley an executive of CBS. The main exhibit was '50 seasons of Survivor' I do not watch the show, but the artifacts were interesting. There were a few photo ops. There was also an exhibit of 45 years of Pac-Man, with some old machines and a lot of artwork. It was fun to play Ms. Pac-Man. The Paley Library on the fourth floor includes archives of over 160,000 television shows and audio. There is also a daily schedule of screening on the Bennack Theater, unfortunately I was there late and didn't get to enjoy any of the shows. The two gentlemen at the front desk were very pleasant. I spent less than one hour in the museum. read more

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I came here for Camp Snoopy. Snoopy episodes are coming out on Apple TV. It was a cool experience. I got to meet and take pictures with Snoopy on the 10th floor. Then I got to play VR and video games on the 5th floor, watch Snoopy episodes in the basement and arts and crafts on the 4th floor. It was a fun day. I will definitely visit again for another event. read more

There are special exhibitions here from time to time and the latest one is PacMan. It's a nice exhibition and nostalgic walk down memory lane for many. You can get to play those games and see many of the merch over the years. The staff there are all very nice. read more

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This spot is perfect to take a little break from the busy city streets. I made a reservation on a weekday around 12:30pm. We made a reservation for the regular exhibition and another one for VR. Upon checking in with the receptionist, we were then given bracelets for the VR experience. They have about 4 floors. I went in December so they had the winter and Christmas decorations. On specific days, they have characters meet and greet on the ground floor. The floor below is where we can take photos of the themed decorations! Kids and adults will definitely have a blast! They have 2 theaters. I finally knew how frosty the snowman looked like. They were playing films in the theaters. Up a floor, they have a room dedicated to trains. The fourth floor is the arts and crafts, we spent most time here decorating our snoopy. We also had hot chocolate with candy canes. The top floor is there the gaming is. They have VR, xbox, Nintendo, switch and PC games! Great for gamers! Also they have restrooms! read more

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The Paley Center For Media NYC is wonderful! Convenient location, really friendly, knowledgeable and enthusiastic staff! Exhibits - went for the current temporary exhibit 30 Years of Everybody Loves Raymond, there's also a cool Johnny Carson exhibit. There's an Archive where you can watch various old TV shows, cast interviews, panels, etc. There will be a curator discussion later this month for The 40th Anniversary of The Golden Girls! read more

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The Paley Center for Media NYC is located on W. 52nd Street in Manhattan. Named after the CBS' 1st President William S. Paley, The Paley Center for Media / Paley Museum is an art / cultural institution showcasing various forms of media via exhibits, special events, etc. Paley Center for Media has multiple floors. Ordering tickets was easy online. Once staff scan your admission ticket, they provide you w/ information on exhibits and events held on each floor. Here were the highlights: "The Latin GRAMMYS 25 Year's of Musical Excellence" Exhibit was on display & ended on 11/3/24. The exhibit included celebrating 2. 5 decades of Latin GRAMMYS - Popular Latin musicians like Marc Anthony, etc. and favorites of mine like La India & Tego Calderon were pictured in this exhibit. Costumes, dresses, clothing worn by Celia Cruz, Shakira, Ricky Martin, etc. & actual GRAMMY Awards in a case were cool to view. Overall, a fantastic exhibit. Lower Level - For Hispanic Heritage Month, there were two exhibits honoring Musical Icons Celia Cruz & Tito Puente. Pieces displayed included some of Celia Cruz's dresses worn during several of her performances, Tito Puente's drums, & pictures. A Tito Puente classic video w/ him performaing on an episode of Sesame Street & video snippets of Celia Cruz singing w/ her rich voice were beautiful to view. Bennack Theater Screening - In this theater, the Series Premiere of Saturday Night (1975) was playing in to celebrate Saturday Night Live's (SNL) 50th Anniversary. Bennack Theater is on the lower level & is larger than the 2nd Fl. Theater. 2nd Fl. Theater Screenings - Halloween favorites from the Paley Archives were played throughout the day. Included Classic Halloween Epsiodes of the following shows - The Twilight Zone: "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet", "Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Hallloween", "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown", "Garfield's Family Adventure", etc. The 2nd Fl. Theater is quaint, & has comfortable seating. Website - paleycenter.org Instagram - @paleycenter The Paley Center for Media is currently having several holiday events. One can purchase tickets for things like PaleyLand which will have Snoopy Day on Saturday 12/21/24. Paley Center is open Wed. - Sun. - Noon -6pm read more

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One of my favorite places to go with my kids! We've been members for 2 years now but have visited the last 5. The events here for children as well as the adult programming is outstanding. The staff here are welcoming , knowledgeable and kind. We always look forward to visiting. The family membership is a Great deal at $125 per year I highly recommend it! read more

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I took a look at the other reviews before writing this one. If you want a typical museum experience, this is not the place for you. If you like something with more hands-on and have some knowledge of games and rarer videos to look for, then this is a great place. This prime location is near Rockefeller plaza by the Nintendo store and an iconic looking bookstore across from it. Paley is fittingly near these places in the neighborhood and hold their own. Their exhibit room is small but they make the museum size work by making more interactive presentations. I came here mainly for the Handmaid's Tale exhibit and I was surprised how many TV screens they were maintaining. The descriptions of the various features were well put together in this exhibit. But then when I saw how short it was, I was glad I decided to check out their media library room and paid extra for the video game room. If I lived near here, I'd definitely get the membership to immerse myself in their beautiful game room more. I thought they had DDR but forgot to ask about that. Some games require you to ask a staffer for the cartridge. There are not a lot of interactive fiction games nor platformers I believe and I wasn't expecting this as they do provide a list online of games that they have. This is not a cheap experience but the building is in an expensive NYC section, and can be worth it if you can appreciate the different vibe and experience of it all. There was a floor with older media but I wasn't interested in that on the third floor I believe. The 4th floor has the media library. None of the media can leave the museum and apparently this is the only facility in the US that is reasonably accessible to the public to view this extensive video collection. There are some rarities, but you have to know what you are looking for and what you like. Some media can only be seen on 8 mm tape, and they have a separate room for that but you must request 24 hours in advance. I believe I was told that the LA location has no videos digitized. I tried to look up the following (embarrassing) searches below: Dance Mums- no Dance moms Miami- no New adventures of speed racer- no Ghostwriter series- yes! New Adventures of Ghostwriter (1997). - one episode out of 13 Apparently there is a Paley museum Handmaid's Tale YouTube video for some actors and actresses being interviewed in LA, where there is another Paley facility that just reopened Mar 2025. Wish I knew this a few weekends ago!! This location started in the 50s? on 53rd St before moving to their current bigger location. There is a Paley park- so I am guessing that was their old location. read more

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Hidden treasure in plain sight!!! A must see. Very interactive!! Currently they're running Pac-Man. They have gaming stations. Also to soon start with survivor. They have two theaters school events fabulous for the whole family. read more

Incredible multimedia experience! Played some Pac Man and watched a wide array of classic video in the exhibits and the archive. Worth the membership! read more

The Paley Center for Media - Museums Near Me - New York, New York

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I've been in NYC for four years and have seen just about every museum. While I remember reading about the "Museum of Television and Radio" years ago, the poor reviews made me write it off. I now find that it has been rebranded as "The Paley Center for Media." The only way I knew this existed was either through a TimeOut article or possibly an instagram ad. I have never seen Fox's "The Masked Singer," though it looks pretty neat and seems to be a cultural phenomenon. The Paley Center had an exhibition of the show's costumes, and I was attracted to the color, creativity, and sometimes bizarre spectacle. I imagine the costumes from this show could make an appearance during a fever dream, or I've never been high, but you know . . . People complain this place isn't cool enough, but I think it's unique and has a lot to offer. The fifth floor has a gaming and virtual reality studio. The fourth floor has an activity center and an archive, which has over 160,000 radio and TV programs to watch and listen to. The second floor has an Al Hirschfield exhibit, which I think is long-term. Might not be amazing for everyone, but I liked the adjacent outdoor space and the theater space. If they ever decided to do a rotating exhibit here, it would be great. They also have a couple of different theater spaces. One was showing films for Asian heritage month. The other, the large screen, was playing another program. The staff were super nice and engaged. Very helpful. Give this space a chance. You might be surprised. Now that it's on my radar, I'll check it out for future exhibits. read more

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This place is under rated. I don't always go to the exhibits, and a lot of the stuff isn't of interest to me, but I love when the have special events for kids or the holidays. We went when they had slime and crafts for the kids with character meets earlier in the year. Recently went their holiday event, and took a picture with Santa, must be the shortest Santa line in the city - at least early in the morning. I've never gone for just an exhibit, but like I said, it's worth it for the events. And kids under 12 are free read more

Such a cute place with kids, esp during the holidays. My son didn't want to leave. He loved the shows and the gaming area. We also especially loved the Santa experience. It was really cute and they took great photos of us with Santa. My only con was that it was really cold, Would return during the holidays for sure read more

A fun place to visit with the kids for holiday photos during their Paleyland. 5 floors but only 1 room or so each floor and theater space to show Xmas cartoons. The littles loved the floor with crafts and coloring sheets. NARM reciprocal so well worth it if you have a membership elsewhere. read more

Been here twice of Paley Center promo weekends... first for the NFL 100 years celebration pre-pandemic! Was able to get timed tickets to come and see the the Vince Lombardi trophy and all the Superbowl rings, jerseys, etc. Nice touch with the hotdogs, popcorn, pretzels, cute football shaped brownies and beverages for the celebration. Back again for Paley Weekend 2022 in rain or shine...free event but must get timed tickets ahead of time. Pretty much sold out of the weekend. This event was indoor and outdoor event from 5th to 6th Avenue. Overall it was good, despite the rain. Inside: see the 4 sport trophies and screenings (which one has to get tickets for) Outside: Lots of activities - due to heavy rain, some of the activities were stopped until the rain lighted up. Folks can get slimed, try their shot at soccer, show their best football moves, NHL Accuracy challenge, play ping pong, etc., meet Mr & Mrs Met and other celebrities and Marvel characters based on the schedule for the weekend. Meta had a 8 minute virtual reality of being in space. Try your luck with The Price is Right 50th Anniversary Tour - play Plinko, Spin the big wheel - land on $1 in one try and win a prize. Hourly Showcase showdown where contestants can bid and win the big prize. XBox and lots of other games to play...pick up some free swag. read more

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Went to the Paley Center for the PaleyLand seasonal event and had a great holiday experience. The exhibitions/photo ops were well arranged and the staff did a good job managing the crowds. Families with younger children would especially find it interesting but adults and older kids can enjoy it also. The attractions are spread out over a number of floors but each floor is not very large so a visit can be completed in an hour or two. Worth a visit! read more

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We were given a tour of the first floor and was told every few months they change the theme to the exhibit. We went this past weekend and before thanksgiving and they already have a holiday theme which was Christmas. A wooden soldier came to greet us and a nice lady show us around the first floor with mutiple Christmas photo ops. She said we can also reserve a space to take pictures with Santa. We then explode the basement where there was a giant sleigh and big igloo. Also there was a free screening inside showing 70s tv shows. We then went to the second floor where there was a holiday train show. It was pretty cool. Upstairs on the fourth floor there was arts and crafts and a candy canes photo ops. All the floors have restrooms. Nice and clean. Not really that much going on and not that much people in this center. I'm just amazed at how decorate they made the holiday Christmas theme to be. read more

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Every time I go to Paley Center, I fall in love with classic film and television all over again. Their collection is vast. The staff is so nice and helpful. The layout is spacious. This is one of my favorite activities in midtown Manhattan. Sometimes I'd pop in there during my lunch break at work. read more

This center was very cool. It was my first time here last night which is crazy as I was born and raised in nyc and never been here before. I came to see a talk about the 2023 Womens world cup. It seems that they have wonderful events here. The staff that I talked to last night were all super friendly as well. I will be coming back here to check out the will and grace exhibit that they have. read more

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I won't say that I was blown away but it is remarkable that this place even exists as an archive for television programming that is both groundbreaking and mired in long forgotten obscurity. If you're looking for a classic museum experience with extensive, curated exhibits (or a massive Blue Whale hanging in the lobby) you'll be in for a bit of a disappointment as the action here is in the archives with a deep respository of content from across the linear and streaming video spectrum including advertising. I've seen several comments about YouTube taking my over much of the archiving function. Honestly, YouTube is much too ad hoc and scattered, providing mere glimpses of programming without a comprehensive agenda for storage and cataloging. The Paley center is a treasure and a very fitting homage to William S. Paley, the visionary former Chairman of CBS. It is well worth your time and nominal entrance fee. A very easy and well deserved five stars. read more

I came here for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Exhibit (cowabunga!) Nickelodeon and The Paley Center are commemorating 35 years of TMNT. I was watching NY1 News when I learned about this, I instantly thought this would be a coo idea; what made it even better, was it's FREE. We arrived around 12:30- we were immediately greeted by the nice woman at the counter. She asked how we learned about the exhibit and who each of our favorite characters were. (They will provide you a ribbon, of your choosing-- I went with Raphael, but I'm really a Leonardo fan. The ground level level had a bunch of photos, various tidbits of information, a few iPad games, and ample areas to get some nice photos for IG. The bottom level has a Theatre, where they show episodes of the show. The 5th Floor has a game room with various PS4, computer and X-box games. The staff throughout were fabulous, but they are very attentive up here, will assist you on getting any game started, etc.. Overall, we had a great time and so would recommend to anyone, who is a fan, has a child that's a fan, or just wants to gain some knowledge, in the history of TMNT. read more

Paley Center for Media This is a fantastic little known gem! It's a museum, research library and theatre all in one. You can make arrangements to spend time reviewing their archives. It's an excellent resource for students and lovers of the arts. I'm a huge fan. I suggest you check their website for any Covid Guidelines. I plan to return as soon as I can! Until then I'm enjoying what I can online. I recommend you visit when you come to NYC. There's a lot of online activity for you to browse on their website. I'm a lover of Radio and Television especially the old shows. Paley Center was previously known as The Museum of Television & Radio. The Paley Center was founded in 1975 by William S. Paley a pioneering innovator in the industry. Included in their collection are the first Super Bowl, a Rat Pack benefit variety show, and James Dean performances to name a few. read more

I came here for the Marvelous Mrs Maisel exhibit and it was great. Yes it was really small, only took a few minutes to walk through the exhibit but it was free and lots of fun. Definitely a nice stop during a NYC walk. read more

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The good reviews make me wonder if I missed something but I tried to explore as much as I could. The only museum part is a single room exhibit on the main floor that was West Wing (my favorite tv show) and the downstairs was a theatre room. I was in and out in literally 7 minutes because there was so little content. A few costumes from the West Wing and some desk props. For $20 it was incredibly disappointing and with SO much potential. We need a museum displaying great American media but this isn't it. read more

I had a great experience at the Paley Center recently with a group of colleagues. It was my first time visiting for a networking/corporate event. This place is a beauty with portraits of best talented idols. Lucky me had a taste of the wine and dine section where I was able to network before the event kicked off. I like how the space can be easily used for events. We made our way to the theater, which was absolutely breath taking. It reminds me of one of the smaller Broadway theaters. That means a smaller crowd with lots of more personal interaction. The events purpose was to celebrate Black history and Hispanic talented idols within television. Overall it was a great experience, although I would like to explore other parts in the Paley Center! read more

The Paley Center for Media - Museums Near Me - New York, New York

I first went to this place in elementary school when it was called the Museum of Television and Radio. I remember it being much cooler as a kid. It is actually not much of a museum - it's more like an archive. The place has computer terminals where you can watch episodes and clips from a large collection of old TV shows. However, you can find many of the same content at home on youtube or other websites. Besides that, there is a small movie theater where they show screenings and clips. The main draw of this place is their panels. Periodically, they have interview panels with famous actors and directors from TV shows. Depending on panel, tickets can sell out fast. read more

The Paley Center for Media - Museums Near Me - New York, New York

It's officially the holiday season as Paley Center transformed into a Winter wonderland for the whole family. RSVP prior to arrival for pictures with Santa Claus, even though this is a free event picture cost $10 bucks as "donation" to the center (digital copy free when requested). Once inside, there's a section for Instagram ready Christmas backdrops; similar to popup shows. Frosty the Snowman was walking around entertaining little kids for a photo op, good fun. Next, went up to the sixth floor for Legoland Discovery where kids can create their own holiday ornaments or build a snokflake, this was really cool; Kai from Ninjago Movie was also on hand to greet the kids. Refreshments for this event was all gone by the time I got there (even though it was advertised the event starts in the afternoon). Onto the 5th floor where it was all Gaming activities, from high tech VR to the Wii games, it was all big kids fun. Overall, a very pretty center with decorated event for children, felt rushed throughout the whole process. My kid loved it though read more

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Absolutely loved it I'm thinking of getting a membership Being that I've worked in film and television this was a great event held for the OZ The creator and some of the cast including Edie Falco were there. They have a red carpet Clean bathrooms Will call was simple The ushers were so polite And the meet and greet with the actors was nice outside. You will like this place. read more

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Finally got here for the exhibit on the Amazon series "the Amazing Miss Maizel". Adorable but small exhibit. The best part is the 4th floor library where you can access thousands upon thousands of past tv shows so come with a list. The computers have earphones and are timed for an hour and a half per user. A great place to come on a rainy day. Pay what you wish. Restrooms but no snack bar. Situated right next to the 21 club read more

If you're a film or radio researcher, this place is a treasure through its library. But it also has exhibits to draw in the general public at $20 a head. And these are extreme ripoffs, to be blunt. Advertised in places like Time Out New York, these are basically ads for CBS/Paramount properties with meager exhibits and promo clips. And the other "exhibits" are nearly as basic, like a room of Hirchfeld sketches, a screening room shoeing random shows, and ... well, that's it. Seriously. The gaming center costs $10 more, which you discover only when you go there, to play vide games. The Paley people and the promoters like Time Out should be ashamed of themselves for presenting as anything other than a library for video, audio, and games. read more

Formerly known as Museum Of Television And Radio. Indeed as per a previous reviewer noted: "if you're expecting an actual museum with exhibits you will be disappointed." It was a complete dismal to me as it really should be renamed "Screening Center" because there were no exhibits unlike a real museum. There are numerous screeening rooms showing classic TV sitcoms as "Cosby Show", "Facts of Life" and other family oriented 1980's shows. There were no documentary on the history of television or radio as a medium affected the communication history in America. I was hoping exhibits on how television changed America through the years as an effective medium of communication for news, events and public announcements. In addition, there is no exhibits on how TV boxes had evolved over the years from rabbit ears to flat screens to high-definition. Radio was completely shunned out. There was no mention how radio also evolved from rabbit ears to Sallelite XM. It's a museum after all, so where is the history of television and radio?? Complete futile and not worth the visit. The MET is far beyond better. read more

This place -was- YouTube before YouTube was available. I used to come here as a kid, back when it was The Museum of Television and Radio, and just sit and watch television shows and media clips from every decade to my heart's content. What more do you need to know? IT'S A TANGIBLE YOUTUBE, PEOPLE. GO. read more

I've been to the Paley Center a few times. Back in college I went to a Womens in Communications event twice. It was an all-day event and even though the seats are small in the center (as well as the theater) it was still a great event to attend. Nowadays, as my career progresses, I'm starting to make the transition as the one no longer sitting in the audience, but on the stage. Or well, on a platform to speak about what I do. I was invited by the PR group of a movie that was premiering to conduct interviews and coverage of the event. I spoke to some of the voice actors and creators. As part of the press we conducted these interviews in the lobby. I didn't know we would be conducting them here, but it ended up being a bit of a challenge as there was major echo and my poor little mic didn't pick up all the audio so well. Anyways... the Paley Center hosts some great media events for your favorite TV shows and movies. Be sure to give them a look once and awhile read more

I recently won tickets to an advanced screening of the DVD release of "The Dark Knight Returns" Part One, the animated feature based on Frank Miller's legendary comic book graphic novel (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dark_Knight_Returns). The event was held at the Paley Center with a combination of VIP guests (voice actors, directors etc.), press and guests such as myself who won tickets through various contests. Entering the Paley Center, you are greeted by a wide open area with a will call/welcoming desk to the right and an open area in front. On this particular day they had a press area set up there for pictures of the VIP guests. Most of us "regular" guests were moved to a back room to wait for everyone else to get seated before us. The area we waited in was beautiful, with plush seats set up in front of two TV screens (one on each side) showing footage from the HBO film about supermodels (http://www.hbo.com/#/documentaries/about-face-the-supermodels-then-and-now). Lined along the walls were large, framed photos of the various supermodels from the documentary. It was very tasteful, almost like a museum. Eventually we were ushered down a set of stairs (past a TON of marble walls) into the small theater. The staff was very nice about helping us find seats and the security staff was alert and polite about people recording/taking pictures. They allowed some stills, but if they noticed someone taping "too long" they would check with the person. The movie looked great on the small screen they had (it's a theater, but not a traditional movie theater) and the sound was fantastic quality. Afterwards there was a Q&A with some of the folks behind the scenes of the film. The lighting was comfortable and bright, the sound from the Q&A was perfect and we were able to understand every word with ease. I really enjoyed my time at the Paley Center and would definitely be willing to go back for a future screening! read more

The Rolling Stones exhibit was intriguing, that unfortunately is where the positives end. As a media person, I found this disappointing. Very bare bones presentation and over priced and the media library is not for someone looking for something beyond common search items... In fact, you'd likely have better luck on YouTube. Basic advertisement segments are not available for easy viewing. When searching for say "gasoline," or old political ads, they will show results in their database, but you are greeted with a message that indicates the segments are "available only in our tape archives." Incredibly disappointing and a waste of time and money given all that Manhattan or the Internet has to offer. Unless you're a tourist, don't waste your time. read more

There's not much to see in terms of exhibits or even all that much historical information. Why is this place awesome? Because you can see original broadcasts of TV shows, commercials and all, which is a real blast from the past. I saw an original air date broadcast of a Twilight Zone episode, of a South Park episode and a Seinfeld episode. Watching those commercials was surreal. That's why this place is awesome. If you have any interest in our cultural history, these video-documents are a must see. read more

Not really worth the admission. I get fooled every time. If you are looking to do a thesis maybe on old shows it's ok. I saw "Star Trek Strange new worlds" exhibit and you can see the same 10 costumes online on youtube. The QR codes didn't let me see anything further and the old episodes are readily available on streaming tv. I actually like the panels sometimes if you get there early enough so you are in the main room otherwise you sit and watch them on a screen. Not a real museum. read more

This place is amazing. I took my 12 year old twins here and they didn't want to leave. They played VR games for hours. Admission was free. And the staff was so nice and attentive. And one thing I really appreciated was that the male staff member didn't touch my daughter when she needed her equipment adjusted. He just motioned to her how to adjust her equipment. I could tell that he was struggling on how to communicate that with her but he didn't reach out and move the equipment that was on her because he didn't want to touch her and make her feel uncomfortable. I thought that was very nice and considerate. The staff explained everything to my children. They helped them with the equipment. They were patient. They were kind. The staff in the video game department definitely deserve a raise! read more

So why can't I give it zero stars?! This is the most ridiculous excuse for a museum that I have ever seen. There is basically nothing to look at. On the ground floor is one small room which had an exhibit of children's comic art from Japan. Being well past the age of childhood, this had no interest. The rest of the museum is three floors of small rooms with some video monitors. You can play video games or you can request to retrieve some old TV shows. I suppose if you are a sociology researcher, the latter might have some interest. I don't think I'm being too harsh here. I consider the Museum of the Moving Image (MOMI, in Queens) to be a superbly wonderful, highly-engaging museum, yet it is on the same theme of "media." At the latter, an adult can spend several hours wandering among the exhibits and enjoying them immensely. Not at the Paley! Sure, the Paley is free, but you can also sit for free at your closest Starbucks and entertain yourself watching videos on your iPhone. Got to MOMI, avoid the Paley. read more

This is not a museum. Got your attention? Good! If you are looking for exhibits, props, historical facts, or other interactive things look elsewhere. But, if you are interested in one of the most comprehensive archives of television shows, commercials, and radio programs then look no further! Your cost of admission gets you access to the multiple theaters showing a variety of programming. However, as is pointed out below, the real gem is the digital archive. Up on the 4th floor is a computerized library where you can choose the program you want to watch then visit the private screening rooms to view your selections. Remember: not a museum but a great archive. Times visited: 1 read more