The Museum of Broadway
Since we are big fans of Broadway shows, The Museum of Broadway sounded like something we would love. It’s relatively new, having just opened in November 2022. It’s in Times Square, in the center of the action. But I was hesitant: admission for one adult is $45-53. I know higher prices are common with for-profit institutions, but that was too expensive for me. Fortunately, a new friend gave us a great tip: the museum was offering a special admission price of just $10.11 in honor of National Coming Out Day. So we jumped at the chance to check it out this ode to Broadway. (Thank you, Lauren! And props to the Museum of Broadway and Chase Freedom for their generous way of celebrating that special day.)
The museum was tucked between a working theater and a hotel on 45th Street. Exhibits were arranged on four floors; we climbed a memorabilia-lined back stairwell to the top and worked our way down. After a short introductory video, we walked through a chronological history of Broadway, from the mid-1700s to the present. A wall board for each decade/period described evolutions in theater and listed noteworthy shows, performers, and playwrights for that time. Ground-breaking shows were spotlighted with props, costumes, and other artifacts, often displayed in eye-catching ways. Some displays were immersive, allowing guests to pose on the sets.
My favorite things
Reminiscing about shows that we had seen and loved
Discovering that actors we know well from movies and television had previously performed on Broadway
Letters exchanged by Jonathan Larson (creator of Rent) and Stephen Sondheim
The hands-on cryptic crossword (Sondheim’s secret super-power)
The impressive scale model of the multi-story set of Wicked
The ground floor exhibit: an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at how Broadway shows are made
My honest review
The Museum of Broadway does a decent job of summarizing and presenting a very rich history. For the most part, it makes good use of its compact space. Lovers of Broadway will enjoy walking down memory lane and learning how today’s theater scene evolved through the combination of historical events, technological advances, and human brilliance.
There is a major shortcoming: the museum describes itself as “interactive and experiential,” but that’s true for only a small portion of the exhibits. There is far too much reading required. Costumes and props are interesting, sure, but the museum’s fun-factor would be greatly enhanced by one or more video components. I would love to see these features added:
A library of short video clips from notable musicals and plays, allowing visitors to select and view them on demand. At the Kentucky Derby Museum, they have a Time Machine that allows you to choose a winning horse (or a particular year) and watch that Derby race.
A video shown on a 360° screen that surrounds the viewer, immersing them in a montage of Broadway’s finest moments. The Museum of the City of New York has an energizing experience called You Are Here, which surrounds the viewer with iconic moments from movies that were filmed in NYC. And the Kentucky Derby Museum also has an excellent 360° film, The Greatest Race.
A screening room with special showings of “making of” specials and full-length recordings of Broadway shows. Some of these are available for streaming, but many more are not. And it’s always fun to watch a movie with an appreciative audience. I would purchase a membership if it included discounted tickets for the screening room.
Without a significant video component, I feel The Museum of Broadway is not worth the high (regular) admission price.
Tips
Discounted admission to the museum may be offered with the purchase of tickets to a Broadway show (my Telecharge emails offered museum tickets for $35).
Visitors who love theater but are less interested in a history lesson that requires lots of reading should start on the ground floor (if that is even permitted).
If you’d like to re-watch musicals and plays with their original casts, the New York Public Library has a film and tape archive of Broadway productions dating back to the 1970s. It’s at Lincoln Center, and it’s free - all you need is a library card.
