Museum of the Moving Image: A Media Oasis


This media museum, located in Queens, New York, is dedicated to advancing art, history, film, and digital media techniques.

What You Need to Know

Museum of the Moving Image advocates for better understanding, appreciation, and awareness of the film, digital, and television media’s techniques, technologies, art, and history.

Museum of the Moving Image hosts online and in-person exhibitions that advance and promotes this mission, and the permanent and temporary exhibits include:

  • Interactive conversations with related media artists
  • Filmmakers and scholars
  • Film screenings
  • Industry professionals, including media educators.

Reverse shot is the online film magazine in which related articles are published, and the science and film resource of the Museum of the Moving Image, Sloan Science & Film are two online platforms through which the Museum educates and interacts with people around the world.

The Museum has a collection of over 130000 objects and further serves diverse communities and brings them together by releasing acclaimed and award-winning short science feature films.

The department of education in the Museum serves over 70,000 students yearly and enlighten them through screening programs, tours of the exhibitions, and unique hands-on workshops.

Located in Astoria, NY

The historic Astoria studios, located in the Astoria neighborhood, Queens, NY, have a history of being an integral part of filmmaking since 1920. The studio is an NYC landmark and USA’s first motion picture studio.

The Famous Players-Lasky, now known as Paramount, opened Astoria studios as the East Coast production in 1920. Later, many stars like Rudolph valentine, W. C. Fields, and Gloria Swanson brought enchantment to the monumental stage of this “Big House” during the silent film era.

The achievements were further unlocked when Claudette Colbert and Marx Brothers made talking pictures at Astoria studios. Over the decades, the studio expanded and covered the surrounding residential areas, spreading to over 5 acres.

Paramount departed in 1932, and the US army purchased Astoria studios in 1942. The studio was converted into a military motion distribution and production. In the 1970s, a public-private partnership eventually transformed the disrepair studio complex into Kaufman Astoria Studios, which led to the foundation of the Museum of the Moving Image.

The studios have provided a stage for outstanding films like Scent of a Woman, The Age of Innocence, The Irishman, and The Bourne Ultimatum. For the production of great television shows like The Affair, Orange is the New Black and Sesame Street.

Planning a Visit?

The Museum offers a one-of-a-kind experience for visitors of all ages. The only Museum in the country which is dedicated to the art, techniques, history, and technologies used in moving images, the Museum of the Moving Image embraces every phase and subject of production, exhibition, and promotion in all its forms.

The exhibitions by the Museum are interactive and highly engaging, offering a nourishing environment for discussion and conversations, leading to groundbreaking educational revelations.

The exciting advancements that the Museum of the Moving Image promotes are the classic and contemporary film programs, core exhibitions, discussions with leading artists and figures in television and film media, and showcasing of a unique and inspiring collection for all its visitors.

Admission and Hours

The Museum opens from 2 to 6 pm on Thursday, 2 to 8 pm on Friday, and on weekends it opens from 12 pm till 6 pm.

Visitors are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance to save time at the on-site admission desk. The Museum of the Moving Image members receive free admission inside the gallery and discounted event and screenings tickets.

They ensure that all school programs, workshops, and other facilities are accessible for people with special needs.

The museum is situated in Western Queens, which lies next to the Kaufman Astoria Studios. To get to the museum, you can take a subway, bicycle, or car as it is located only a little distance from Midtown Manhattan.

Taking a Subway From Manhattan

Take the M or R subway station to Steinway Street, and use the 34 Avenue exit near the train’s end.

Now walk south alongside Steinway street, and turn right onto 35 Avenue.

To get to the Museum, proceed three blocks towards the entrance just past 37 street.

You can also take the E station to Queens Plaza and follow the directions from the 34 Avenue exit described above.

Arriving at the Museum by Bus

If you are arriving from Manhattan, take the Q101 bus to 35 Avenue in the Astoria neighborhood. Now walk west onto 35 Avenue towards 37 street.

Taking a Car

If you are coming from Manhattan via the Queensboro Bridge, the lower roadway will lead you to exit onto Northern Boulevard. Now follow it to 35 street, turn left and proceed to 35 Avenue. Then make a right, and you will find the museum entrance between the 36 and 37 streets.

Screenings

1.     Nosferatu

This special screening is a 100the anniversary at the Museum of the Moving Image. The expressionist visuals convert this unnerving adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula into a poetic horror work. Max Schreck’s unforgettable performance and makeup techniques make this work a terrifying but memorable experience.

2.     House of Usher

The location for this screening is the Bartos Screening room. Director Roger Corman begins his adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s famous work by showcasing the mysterious tale in a colorful palette as Philip arrives at the gothic House of Usher to discover the family secrets, even at the cost of his own life and sanity.

Other Events

The Museum of the Moving Image offers educational tours and workshops at discounted rates for the admission of groups of ten or more people. The Museum accommodates the needs and requirements of every group member and offers its programs to adults, school groups, colleges, universities, and youth programs through unforgettable visual experiences.

Conclusion

Museum of the Moving Image is a dynamic experience as the Museum is one of its kind in the USA that is devoted to exploring the creativity and various techniques that goes behind every television, movie, digital media, and entertainment.

The McClain Family

We hope we helped. Please let us know of any place that you want to know about in NYS or if we did a poor job with any part of this. Our goal is to help as many people as possible.

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