The Paley Center for Media is celebrating a century of television history with NBC100: A Century Together, a new immersive exhibit honoring 100 years of NBC and the programming, personalities, and cultural moments that helped shape American television.
Opening Friday, September 18 in New York City, the three-floor exhibition will feature more than 75 costumes and artifacts from some of NBC’s most recognizable programs, including Friends, Seinfeld, The Office, Saturday Night Live, Law & Order, The West Wing, ER, 30 Rock, Friday Night Lights, The Good Place, NBC News, NBC Sports, and more.
Presented by The Paley Museum in collaboration with NBC, the exhibit will also give visitors the chance to step directly into some familiar pieces of television history.
Among the interactive photo opportunities, guests can sit behind the TODAY show desk, take a seat in a coaches’ chair from The Voice, pose alongside a larger-than-life statue from The Traitors, stand atop an Olympic Games victory podium, and sit behind Johnny Carson’s legendary desk from The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.
Iconic Costumes from a Century of NBC
For television fans, some of the biggest attractions may be the costumes and artifacts pulled from NBC’s extensive history.
The collection includes Joey’s unforgettable “many clothes” costume worn by Matt LeBlanc on Friends, a costume worn by Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Elaine Benes on Seinfeld, and Dan Aykroyd and Steve Martin’s “Two Wild and Crazy Guys” costumes from Saturday Night Live.
Also featured are costumes worn by Steve Carell on The Office, Martin Sheen on The West Wing, Ted Danson on The Good Place, and Barbara Eden on I Dream of Jeannie.
Artifacts from ER, 30 Rock, Friday Night Lights, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Meet the Press, and The Howdy Doody Show will further showcase just how much television history NBC has accumulated during its first century.
From Radio Pioneer to Television Institution
NBC100: A Century Together will trace NBC’s evolution from its beginnings in radio through its influence across entertainment, news, sports, late night, and live television.
The exhibit will highlight technological and programming milestones throughout NBC’s history, including the first coast-to-coast radio broadcast, the first paid television commercial, the development of color broadcasting, and the evolution of the modern late-night talk show.
Visitors will also be able to explore programming from the Paley Archive, including landmark NBC broadcasts and previous Paley conversations featuring casts from Friends, Seinfeld, Cheers, Family Ties, Saturday Night Live, Parks and Recreation, Will & Grace, and This Is Us.
Families and younger visitors will also have the opportunity to create their own version of NBC’s iconic Peacock.
NBC Looks Toward Its Next Generation
While the exhibit celebrates NBC’s past, The Paley Museum will also spotlight some of the talent representing the network’s future.
On Wednesday, September 23, the museum will host NBC100 Presents: TV’s Next Generation, a special event featuring actors from NBC’s upcoming and returning comedy and drama series.
The conversation will feature Mekki Leeper of St. Denis Medical, Mary Shalaby of Sunset P.I., Taylor Bloom of Line of Fire, Brandon Larracuente of Chicago Fire, and Precious Way of The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins.
NBC News’ Joe Fryer will moderate the conversation, which will explore the actors’ journeys to NBC, behind-the-scenes stories from their respective shows, and what it means to become part of the network’s next chapter.
Tickets for the event are being released in stages, with general public tickets going on sale Monday, September 14 at noon ET.
NBC100: A Century Together opens Friday, September 18 at The Paley Museum in New York. Paley Members receive free admission and can reserve advance entry to the exhibit.
For tickets, membership information, and additional Paley Museum programming, visit The Paley Center for Media’s official website.
