NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — A new museum dedicated to all things Broadway shows will open in Times Square Tuesday.
Visitors will be taken through immersive exhibits as they follow along the timeline of New York’s Theater District, from its beginnings in the Financial District to its current home in Hell’s Kitchen.
The museum also features several rooms that showcase legendary and impactful performances. Shows like RENT, Phantom of the Opera and West Side Story are all highlighted through captivating experiences at the museum.
“We looked at the shows that really sort of changed the form of Broadway and pushed boundaries and pushed the form forward,” said Diane Nicoletti, one of the museum’s cofounders.
Together with Julie Boardman, Nicoletti teamed up with several people and organizations to bring the duo’s vision to life, including Playbill and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Boardman and Nicoletti first dreamed up the space in 2017 and broke ground in June 2022.
The thread that connects the four floor, 26,000 square-foot museum is a large timeline curated by Ben West, the museum’s resident historian. West explained the process of deciding what goes into sorting through more than three centuries of Broadway history as intriguing with each decade having its own unique history.
“I find something deeply interesting about every period but it's not always the same thing that I find interesting,” West explained. “They all have a special place for me. I think that's the best way to say it.”
For West, the museum represents a larger story of American history and culture and is a much needed vehicle to preserve such an integral part of New York City.
“When you think of New York, there are certain things you think of, and I think Broadway is definitely one of them,” West said. “It is nowhere else in the world. There are productions that start here and go worldwide. There are productions that come from other places in the world and are presented on Broadway. But there is, at the end of the day, only one Broadway, which I think is really exciting.”
Boardman and Nicoletti share in that excitement over being a part of a conserving a New York staple and hope visitors walk away with a renowned sense of pride and love for the iconic entertainment.
“We want them to have a lot of fun and learn something along the way,” Boardman said.
“People remember their first show, they remember their experiences when they go to Broadway, which is very unique, I think, from other experiences that people may have,” Nicoletti added. “So it's important to really just have that history when it comes to it.”
The Museum of Broadway is located at 145 West 45th Street. It is open everyday, except Thanksgiving and Christmas, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. The museum is self guided and the experience takes about 60-90 minutes to complete. Timed tickets can be purchased for $39 and flexible tickets are $49. Children under four can enter free of charge. A portion of each ticket sold goes to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.
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