Museum of the Moving Image — Attraction in New York

This was my second time here, but first time visiting with a 9-yr-old. We went to see a fun movie screening of Detective Pikachu. The two places with strong interactive exhibits - the animation station on the 2nd floor and the temporary animation / game area on the first floor were by far the highlights. Otherwise, especially for someone his age, the exhibits including ones that were supposed to be interactive but were very limited such as the ADR and sound score stations were too passive and simply lackluster.

Much like Hollywood itself the museum has a strong external image, but an unengaging, monocultural conservative core that shrinks away from true creativity. Notably there is little to nothing about independent filmmaking. Even the stop motion animation station only has a few pre-selected images visitors can use. (Previous comment: And users can't even save or share out what they made - both not complicated technically, and a wise move in this social media era.) Edit in response to the museum's reply: Apparently users can share the content they made at the animation stations, but that certainly was not obvious. Additionally, the program crashed several times after the 9-year-old made an animation that was longer than 100 seconds - I'm not sure how many frames per second it was, but it was about 1.6 seconds. Not that long for something that will be deleted before the next user.

The Henson exhibit was nice, but it was a hagiography, and lacked any noticable critique, several of its interactive pieces were not working properly, and they weren't particularly interesting to begin with. And hilariously there was a dark, mostly "out of order" video game section with old school standalone arcade games that they wanted visitors to pay more $ to play. Meanwhile, the videogame industry surpassed BOTH the film industry and music industry combined in revenue years ago. But where are those "moving images" being investigated in this museum?

It feels like there is a great deal of potential here. Americans desperately need educating about the media, the lack of independent media / ownership, powerful monoliths like Google here or Facebook take our free content line this post and monetize it or share Russian (for example) propaganda and sway elections with devastating results.

I could envision some pretty powerful content if they collaborated with WNYC's On The Media, to name one high quality outlet. But I wonder how much which institutions give this museum funding impacts their seemingly meek...

Review: Museum of the Moving Image – A Cinematic Playground for the Curious

I was told the Museum of the Moving Image was one of the best hidden gems in NYC—and for once, the hype was right. Located in Astoria (yes, you’ll need to cross the river—trust me, it’s worth it), this museum is a vibrant, interactive love letter to film, television, and the curious mechanics behind what we see on screen.

What surprised me most was how diverse and playful the experience was. This isn’t a “look-but-don’t-touch” kind of museum. It’s more like: “come in, press buttons, dub your own voice over a movie scene, and walk away feeling like you learned something without ever being bored.” Honestly, isn’t that the dream?

The exhibits span a wide and fascinating range. I wandered through puppet history (hello, childhood nostalgia), modern film installations, a camera and editing technology gallery that would make any film student weep with joy, and even got to experience a VR film that momentarily made me forget I had errands to run.

There’s a real sense of movement and wonder here—very on brand, yes—but it’s not just for cinephiles. Whether you’re a filmmaker in training or just someone who wants to whisper “it’s showtime” dramatically in front of a vintage projector, there’s something here to geek out over.

Also, it must be said: this is an excellent date spot. Especially if it’s raining. There’s just enough hands-on interaction to keep things interesting, enough cozy corners to linger in, and enough conversation starters to avoid talking about the weather.

In short, Museum of the Moving Image is a dynamic, joyful, thoughtfully curated space that manages to make the history and art of storytelling feel just as exciting as the stories themselves. Don’t sleep on it—just bring someone fun and maybe do your best Muppet impression while...

Highly underrated media museum in Astoria, Queens. It's a must if you visit this borough. Located in the same block with Astoria Kaufman Studios, between 34th & 35th Avenue, and 36th & 37th Street, respectively. The best way to come here is by using R train (Steinway St), or with N or W yellow lines (36th St). From their official website: "A one-of-a-kind destination for audiences of all ages and interests, Museum of the Moving Image (MOMI) is the country’s only museum dedicated to the art, history, technique, and technology of the moving image in all its forms. Embracing a wide range of subjects, MoMI explores every phase of the production, promotion, and exhibition of moving images. It offers an engaging, highly interactive core exhibition, programs of contemporary and classic films from around the world, discussions with leading figures in film and television, a unique collection, inspiring educational programs for learners of all ages, stimulating changing exhibitions, and groundbreaking online projects." Quite unique museum, it covers 3rd and 2nd floor of the building. On the ground floor there are the Museum’s lobby, cafe, and Kaufman Courtyard (weather permitting) during open hours. The public is welcome to use these spaces and to connect to the Museum’s free public wifi. Current exibitions: 3rd floor - Mission Impossible, Behind the Screen 2nd floor : The Jim Henson "Muppet Show", Behind the Screen Nice gift shop with a lot media and mouvie related memorabilias. Restrooms available onsite. Elevator also available, including wheelchair access. A pleanty of parking space. Admissions are $20 for adults, seniors and students $15, youth (age 3-17). Business Hours: Saturday 12–6 PM Sunday 12–6 PM Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday - closed Thursday...