Museum of the Moving Image: Tickets, Hours and Tips

The Museum of the Moving Image is one of the few museums in the world dedicated to audiovisual production, its technologies and every art form tied to film, television and video games.

Its goal is to explore every stage of production, promotion and exhibition in the audiovisual industry.

Visiting the Museum of the Moving Image is also the perfect excuse to get to know Astoria, New York's Greek neighborhood. You'll see for yourself what I always say: plenty of New York attractions are outside Manhattan.

Collections at the Museum of the Moving Image

The Museum of the Moving Image occupies a former Paramount Pictures studio in the New York borough of Queens, a fitting home for its permanent collections.

The displays run from the forerunners of the motion picture camera to interactive demos of the latest digital tech.

The best part is that the Museum of the Moving Image has an impressive collection of objects used in iconic movies like Star Wars and Taxi Driver.

A couple of examples: the mohawk wig Robert De Niro wore in Taxi Driver…

… Chewbacca's head and Yoda's body.

Other crowd favorites include the ape masks from Kubrick's 2001, among many other pieces.

Interactive exhibits

The interactive exhibits are the most popular, and adults literally compete with kids for a turn (a great option if you're traveling with kids).

You can dub, animate, re-edit or add new soundtracks to classic films.

Another room that draws crowds is the one devoted to video games, where you can freely play several vintage gems.

Movies at the Museum of the Moving Image

As if that weren't enough, the museum screens classic and contemporary films from all over the world, and access is included with your ticket.

There are also frequent talks with film and TV personalities, so don't be surprised if you come face to face with one of your favorites.

Guided tours

If you want to join a guided tour, they run Saturdays and Sundays every hour starting at 2 pm.

Free admission

On Fridays from 4 pm to 8 pm admission is free for everyone.

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Address:
35 Avenue at 37 Street
Astoria

Transportation:
G, R, V lines. Steinway Street station

Museum of the Moving Image hours:
Thursday 2 pm to 6 pm
Friday 2 pm to 8 pm
Saturday and Sunday 12 am to 6 pm

(The museum changes its hours often, so I recommend confirming them on the official site before you go)

Prices:
Adults US$ 20 / Students and 65+ US$ 12
Ages 3 to 17 US$ 10 / Under 3 free