November 16, 2022, 10:42 AM
November 16, 2022, 10:42 AM
For anyone visiting New York City, one of the must-see sites is the Broadway theater circuit. The legendary theater district in Manhattan has its center in Times Square, located at the intersection of Broadway, Seventh Avenue and 42nd Street. Starting at the end of the 19th century and throughout the 20th, dozens of theaters settled in that area of the famous American city.
The broadway museum now presents the centuries-old history of New York theater in a colorful multimedia extravaganza.
In the first of the four exhibition rooms, visitors take a journey back in time to 1732, when the first play was performed in New York. At that time, New York City theaters took up residence in what is now the Financial District.
After the end of the American Civil War in 1865, theaters gradually migrated north along Broadway, settling in the early 20th century in what is now Times Square.
New York in the 20th century
The second room of the exhibition is dedicated to the history of Broadway today with an interactive timeline. The dazzling costumes and accessories exude the magic of world-famous musicals like “Hair,” “Oklahoma!” and “The Phantom of the Opera.”
But defining moments are also retold, such as the theater crisis during the Great Depression in the 1930s. Video projections bring a century of Broadway history to life.
In the third room, visitors can take a behind-the-scenes look at Broadway shows and get an idea of how the crew works on and off stage. The fourth room has a multifunctional environment and can be reserved for theater rehearsals or round tables. The museum opened its doors on November 15, 2022.