Museum of the Moving Image

Overview

The Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria, Queens, is the only museum in the US dedicated to the art, history, and technology of film, television, and digital media, housed in a beautifully renovated Art Deco building.

Highlights

• Behind the Screen: A massive permanent exhibition exploring how moving images are made, marketed, and experienced, with hands-on editing, dubbing, and animation stations.
• Jim Henson Exhibit: A beloved permanent collection of original Muppet puppets, sketches, and footage from Jim Henson's career.
• Screening Rooms: Two state-of-the-art cinemas showing curated film series, retrospectives, and premiere screenings.

History

Opened in 1988 in the former Astoria Studios complex where the Marx Brothers, Gloria Swanson, and Rudolph Valentino once filmed. The building underwent a major $67 million expansion and renovation in 2011.

Visitor Tips

• Hands-On: The interactive stations are genuinely engaging for adults — try the dubbing booth where you can re-voice classic movie scenes.
• Kaufman Studios: The adjacent Kaufman Astoria Studios is still an active production facility for major TV shows.
• Duration: 1.5–2 hours.