The Paley Center for Media in Manhattan

| | |

First opened in 1976 as the Museum of  Broadcasting, the Museum of Television and Radio changed names and moved to the heart of Midtown Manhattan in 1991, followed by another renaming and reopening as the Paley Center for Media in 2007 to honor William S. Paley. The owner of several prominent radio stations in the 1920s, William S. Paley created a larger network that became the CBS Network in the mid 20th century. 

The Paley Center’s collection includes 160,000 television and radio programs and advertisements from over 70 countries- the largest collection of television and audio media in the world. Paley The curated collection includes news, sports, performing arts, children’s shows, documentaries, comedy shows, and even commercials dating back to the 1940s, all of which have been chosen for their “artistic achievement, social impact, or historic significance” according to the Center’s website. The Paley Center also has a center in Los Angeles, California.  Note: The Paley Center collects programming, not artifacts, so there are few physical items on display.

Travel Tips:

  • The Paley Center is open Wednesday through Sunday from 12pm to 6pm; see updated information on hours and admission fees here (kids under age 12 are free). 
  • The entire center is handicap accessible via elevators.
  • Information on parking garages and close subway stops can be found here.
  • Restrooms are located on 4th, 2nd, and concourse floors.
  • No dining facilities on site and food and drinks are not allowed in the Center. If you’re looking for kid friendly dining options in Manhattan, check out this post.
  • The center offers tons of daily programs, screenings, and lectures; see the up to date calendar here. 
  • Plan on 60 minutes to explore the center and add more time for the GX Studio and viewing of films. 

Would you like to save this?

We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later.

Five Spots to Explore at the Paley Center:

  1. Fifth Floor at the GX Gaming Studio: Have a friendly “virtual” competition. The GX Studio has 20 individual stations that feature XBox Series X, PlayStation 4s, PS5, Nintendo Switch . There’s also the VR room with Oculus beat saver and the ability to try out one of three VR games. After getting hooked into a set of goggles and hand sticks, players can experience a thrilling VR experience, including a Star Wars lightsaber simulation. Note: Additional fee applies
  2. Fourth Floor Library: View one (or several) of the 160,000 programs from over 70 countries from the past 100 years of broadcasting. The Paley Center is home to the largest collection of television and audio media in the world. Guests can search for and watch up to 90 minutes of film at individual computer stations with headphones. Some of the most popular views are comedy specials and comedy shows (I Love Lucy ranks #1). There’s also coloring stations for the younger (or young at heart) visitors. Be sure to take a peek at the display of radios and televisions dating back to 1949. 
  3. Second Floor and Concourse Floor Theaters: Watch a screening in either the 120+ seat Bennack Theater and the 60+ seat, second floor Goodson Theaters about 60 seats. Daily programming includes several family friendly features and can be found here.
  4. Lower Concourse: The Dan Rather Gallery of portraits of famous past guests of the Paley Center.  This space is also used during themed exhibits, which can change monthly or seasonally.
  5. Rotating exhibits: When we visited, the popular holiday exhibit, PaleyLand, was on display. There are numerous photo opts, the Polar Express holiday train display, special holiday themed screening of films, and arts and crafts activities. There’s hot cocoa on the ground floor. Check the calendar for visits with Santa, Rudolph, elves, and even a snow monster! PaleyLand typically runs from mid November through the first week of January. Other popular exhibits include Black Achievements in Television, and Anniversary Celebrations. Exhibits can change as frequently as every month so there is always something new to see at the Paley Center.

Looking for more family friendly adventures in New York City? Check out our index of posts here and follow along on our adventures on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Twitter.

Disclosure: My family was given a media pass to explore the Paley Center. All opinions expressed are my own. 

New England based, part high school English teacher, part non profit founder, part road tripper who LOVES hopping in the family SUV to explore America. Our bucket list includes National Parks, MLB stadiums, presidential libraries, and eating wherever the locals eat!

Similar Posts

  • |

    10 Tips for Traveling with Kids

    Who’s ready to get out and start exploring again? ME ME ME ME ME!!! I have been dreaming about road trips since March 11th when I was first quarantined at home. It’s been a looong time. So long, that once I started thinking about getting out and about again, I had to remind myself of some tips I have learned (usually, the hard way) over the past 12 years of traveling with kids. Some of these tips are repeated in my posts here and here and here. Here are 10 tips for traveling with kids:

  • |

    Touring the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland

    Founded in 1845 by George Bancroft, Secretary of the Navy, the US Naval Academy, located in the heart of Annapolis, Maryland, is the college that trains officers for both the Navy and Marine Corps. What started as a 10 acre campus with 50 students and 7 faculty members has expanded to a 338 acre campus with over 600 faculty (half civilian and half military) and 4,500 students called Midshipmen (women are called Female Midshipmen), copied from the British naval ranking. Women were first admitted in 1976 and today, represent approximately 30 percent of Midshipmen. Each year, the Academy accepts approximately 1200 students, approximately 10% of applicants. All Midshipmen are on scholarship and are required to serve a minimum of five years in the Navy or Marine Corps following their four year college experience, culminating with a Bachelors of Science degree. 

    Over 80,000 people take guided tours each year, and over two million people visit the Academy each year. Our guided walking tour is one of the BEST tours we have ever taken and we think it is a must see and do when you’re exploring Annapolis, or driving through to Washington DC or Baltimore, Maryland, both a half hour away.

  • | | |

    11 Ways to Explore the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum on Long Island

    One of the only remaining “Gilded Age Gold Coast” mansions on Long Island in New York, the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum is the former estate of William K. Vanderbilt and his third wife, Rosamond. The great-great grandson of shipping and railroad tycoon Cornelius Vanderbilt, William purchased the 43 acre property in Centerport on Long Island in 1908 and began with a  small “English Cottage”. Over the next two decades, he expanded the property and grew the “cottage” into a 24 room Spanish Revival mansion named “Eagle’s Nest” along with several museum buildings. Vanderbilt chose the Northport Bay location because it is the deepest port closest to Manhattan where Vanderbilt could moor his boats. William and Rosemond lived on the property from May through October, although they also commuted into their home in Manhattan. 

  • Our Top Social Media Posts of 2024

    Somehow the year 2024 is quickly coming to a close. Our family had a wonderful year with many adventures- we’ll be sharing an annual Highlights post next week on the blog (check out 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, and 2017). This week, we spent some time delving into the interwebs of our analytics for our top social media posts. We thought it would be fun to take a look back in a separate post. Here are our posts with the most engagement throughout 2024:

  • | | |

    10 Tips for Having Fun at SplashDown Beach in Fishkill, New York

    Our first visit to SplashDown Beach was a couple of years ago when we were exploring Dutchess County (read our full City Guide here). Our whole family LOVED the waterpark! After a recent, super fun visit to the park’s nearby sister resort Rocking Horse Ranch, the resort invited us back to Splashdown Beach and told us to bring a few friends. Everyone enjoyed a picture perfect summer day!

    SplashDown Beach, located in Fishkill in the heart of Hudson Valley in New York, first opened in the mid 1980s as a spot for locals with young children to cool off during hot summer months.  The Turk family, founders and owners of the popular, all inclusive, nearby Rocking Horse Ranch, bought the park in the early 2000s and expanded the 13 acre property to include rides and attractions for all ages. Today, the waterpark has almost two dozen rides, multiple pools, plenty of dining options, and tons of space to spread out and soak up the sun.

  • | | | |

    National Museum of African American History & Culture in Washington D.C.

    Part of the Smithsonian Institute, the National Museum of African American History and Culture is one of the newer museums in Washington DC and opened in September of 2016. The museum was first conceptualized in 1915 but almost 100 years of obstacles and debates prevented it from becoming a reality until a presidential commission in 2001. Since its opening, the museum has welcomed over three million visitors in three years. The location was chosen for its intersection with the Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, Capitol building, and White House. The museum is nearly 400,000 square feet and currently displays 3,000 of the 37,000 items in its collection

7 Comments

  1. WOW! what an amazing collection of film, , facts and fun information on TV and especially CBS , especially for people old enough to appreciate the history of television. I was amazed on the prompts to explore places to eat and see in New York. Great job!

    Reply

  5. Had no idea this was something in NYC although not surprised since it is one of the entertainment capitals of the world! Love the way you featured the must spots especially the library and theaters.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *