Teacher Trekker

Across the river from Manhattan in Astoria, Queens is one my favorite museums in the city, the Museum of the Moving Image. It’s in my home borough and actually easier for me to travel to than most museums in Manhattan. I even worked around the corner from the museum for an entire summer and made frequent visits. The museum is located in a former building of the Kaufman Astoria Studios, which is the home of the only existing New York City backlot.

Since its opening, the Museum of the Moving Image has become one of the world’s top film, television and video museums and serves as a center for the collection, preservation and display of content across these media. Exhibits are dedicated to the history of the industry and the evolution of its technology. In addition to the permanent collection, there are continually changing exhibitions that make every trip to the museum a new experience. The museum screens over 400 films a year from various eras of film. There are panel discussions with influential professionals in the industry, and the museum also runs educational programs for students and teachers. The museum has something for everyone.

Historical Information

The museum first opened in 1988 under the name the American Museum of the Moving Image, but the building has roots buried much deeper in the fabric of New York and American film making. The building was erected by the Famous Players Lasky Corporation in 1920 and used to shoot shorts and feature length films. It was commonly referred to as the Astoria Studio and the Paramount Studio. The Astoria location was closed in 1932 when Paramount Pictures moved to California and was taken over by Eastern Service Studios. Independent filmmakers used the location until World War II changed the direction of the studio space.

When the United States was thrust into World War II, it was necessary to create units who would be responsible for the production of war related film content. On March 9, 1942 the War Department was reorganized giving responsibility to the Army Signal Corp. Soon after, the United States Army Signal Corps Army Pictorial Service (USASCAPS) took over the studio and was responsible for the production of Army training and indoctrination films until 1971. For anyone interested in more information about the history of the building and studio space, there is an exhibit in the museum that traces the history of the building.

In 1970, the Astoria Motion Picture and Television Center Foundation began the preservation process of this influential studio. Almost a decade later, in 1978, the former studio was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Four years later the property was purchased by the real estate developer George S. Kaufman. Shortly after, it was rebranded Kaufman Astoria Studios. Efforts were then made by the foundation to secure a portion of the property that resulted in the addition of a museum for guests to visit.

After 7 years and $15 million worth of building renovations, the American Museum of the Moving Image opened on September 10, 1988. At the time it was the first museum in the United States that was dedicated specifically to the film, television and video industry. In 2005, the museum received a portion of a $20 million grant from the Carnegie Corporation from a donation by then New York City mayor and entrepreneur Michael Bloomberg. Then in March 2008, the museum began a $67 million expansion by architect Thomas Lesser. It resulted in the museum doubling in size and the addition of a new theater and conference/classroom space. The museum remained open to the public despite portions of the museum being closed to visitors. After almost 3 years of renovations, on January 15, 2011 the Museum of the Moving Image was officially reopened.

The Collection

The museum has a collection of approximately 130,000 television and movie artifacts. When entering the first floor of the permanent collection, visitors are welcomed by a wall of fame with head shots of some of the most famous actors and actresses dating back to the Golden Age of Hollywood. Around the corner, an additional wall pays homage to influential directors.

To the left there are sections dedicated to make-up and hair styling. Some of my favorites include the Chewbacca mask from Star Wars, the masks used by Robin Williams in Ms. Doubtfire and various hair pieces used by Robert de Niro in Taxi Driver. Many are also impressed by Elizabeth Taylor’s wig from Anthony & Cleopatra. Next is a display of concept art and models from films like Silence of the Lambs and Turk 1982. There are sections full of costumes, jewelry and props used in iconic films and television shows.

Visitors will then encounter exhibits dedicated to the advertising and sale of movie and television show memorabilia. There are retro fan magazines all printed prior to the early 1960’s. There are cabinets full of games, puppets, dolls and other toys. The Star Wars memorabilia collection will overwhelm any sci-fi nerd. I probably spent at least 10 minutes staring at action figures and other collectibles from the Star Wars universe every time I visit the museum.

For me those glass cabinets never get old. There is an equally impressive collection of Star Trek memorabilia in the same exhibit. This leads to a small exhibit about the soundtracks that support the visual form. The exhibit wall is filled with countless albums from some of the most iconic musical scores in film history. Headphones allow visitors to listen to a variety of audio tracks.

Another portion of the museum is dedicated to the Golden Age of Cinema. It includes old playbills, model reconstructions of theater houses and other related content. This leads visitors to a small retro inspired theater. Outside the theater is a section dedicated to classic video games, and there is even a 1980’s living room that plays old cartoon reruns from the time period.

The permanent collection continues as you make your way to the second floor. There is an extensive collection of vintage cameras, televisions and audio equipment from the pre-digital era. Some of the pieces are gigantic compared to the slim sleekness of current technology. It’s amazing to see how technology has progressed.

There are also a number of interactive exhibits. Some date back to the earliest days of visual media like the mutoscope and optical toys displays. Others allow visitors to play with state of the art editing booths. They allow visitors to take part in sound effect editing, voice-overs and the creation of stop motion videos. There can be a small wait time depending on when you visit the museum and how many other visitors want to use the equipment, but it’s always fun adding cartoon sound effects to Terminator 2.

Changing Exhibitions – IndieCade East Festival 2015

The Museum of the Moving Image presents a variety of changing exhibitions. During my last visit, I unknowingly entered one such event. Walking up to the museum, it appeared something was going on. There was a buzz in the air and people streaming in and out of the doors like ants. I walked into a lobby full of visitors playing video games on large television screens. What did I just stumble into?

For three days the museum was the host of the IndieCade East Festival 2015. The event included a series of panel discussions, talks, exhibits and games. There were independent developers as well as companies like Facebook and Sony PlayStation promoting games. I played a number of demos on the Nintendo DS system and got a free beanie and pen for my time. All floors of the museum were filled with countless games that anyone could give a try. They ranged from vintage and other basic games to interactive games with virtual reality goggles and gloves.

On every floor of the museum, any and all available space was dedicated to another game for visitors to try and discuss with the developer. I tried a handful of games. Some were very interesting, but most appeared to be in the development phase. This was particularly the case with the independent developers. Most required fine tuning and tweaking, but I enjoyed the direction that the future of video games holds based on this small sample from the convention. When I left, the museum was still in full swing with the yelling of players and viewers watching live gaming in one of the theaters. The event had extended hours for everyone to enjoy the festival well into the night. You never know what you may stumble into when visiting the Museum of the Moving Image, so check their website and make a visit.

Museum Information

The Museum of the Moving Image is located at 36-01 35 Avenue, Astoria, NY 11106. The telephone number is (718) 777-6888. The museum is closed on Mondays & Tuesdays, is open 10:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Wednesday & Thursday, 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Fridays and 11:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. on Saturdays & Sundays. Admission is free on Fridays from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Holidays may alter openings and hours. Tickets cost $12 for adults, $9 for seniors (65+) and students (with valid ID), $6 for children (3-12) and free for children under 3. Parking in the area is limited. I’m from the area, and I have difficulty parking. A variety of buses travel through the area. By subway, take the M/R to the Steinway Street station. Refer to the MTA website for your public transportation needs. For more information about the museum please refer to the Museum of the Moving Image website.