FAQs

What is The Paley Center for Media?

The Paley Center for Media is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization which leads the discussion about the cultural, creative, and social significance of television, radio, and emerging platforms, drawing upon its curatorial expertise, an international collection, and close relationships with the media community. The general public can participate in Paley programs in both New York and Los Angeles that explore and celebrate the creativity, the innovations, the personalities, and the leaders who are shaping media. They can also access the Paley Center’s permanent media collection, which contains over 160,000 television and radio programs and advertisements. Through the global programs of its Media Council and International Council, the Paley Center also serves as a neutral setting where media professionals can engage in discussion and debate about the evolving media landscape. Previously known as The Museum of Television & Radio, the Paley Center was founded in 1975 by William S. Paley, a pioneering innovator in the industry.

What will I see there?

At The Paley Center for Media, you have the opportunity to access an international collection of 160,000 programs covering more than 100 years of television and radio history, including news, public affairs programs and documentaries, performing arts programs, children's programming, sports, comedy and variety shows, and commercial advertising. Programming from some 70 countries is represented in the collection.

In our library you can choose a program from the collection to watch or listen to individually, or with up to four people at a family console.

You can watch programs like David Bowie in performance, the work of Jim Henson, or the short films of Saturday Night Live. The Paley Archive also contains an array of curated special collections, highlighting groundbreaking and important programming for a variety of topics. They include (but are not limited to): Black achievements in television, Pride / LGBTQIA+, Hispanic heritage, Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage, women's history, Made in NY, and many more.

You can also drop in to a screening in one of the Paley Center’s theaters. We screen a wide variety of programming from our collection, with frequent updates. In our theaters you enjoy the communal experience of watching television together on the big screen.

Throughout the year we offer numerous public programs that bring together writers, directors, producers, actors, critics, journalists, and artists from many disciplines to discuss everything from the creative process behind television and radio to the current trends in media and popular culture, to global political situations.

Who is it named for?

Previously known as The Museum of Television & Radio, the Paley Center was founded in 1975 by William S. Paley, a pioneering innovator in the industry.

Will I see Archie Bunker’s chair?

No. That’s in the Smithsonian. Our permanent collection focuses on programming, not artifacts. We occasionally have gallery exhibits that display television and radio artifacts.

Do you have everything ever broadcast?

No. It is a curated collection. Programs have been selected on the basis of artistic achievement, social impact, or historic significance.

What’s in your collection? Can I look online to see what you have?

The Paley Archive is made up of 160,000 television and radio programs and advertisements, covering more than a century of media history, beginning with a 1918 speech by labor leader Samuel Gompers. The collection spans all genres: comedy, drama, news, public affairs, performing arts, childrens, sports, reality, animation, and documentary. The Archive includes an international presence, with assets from seventy countries.

You may search the Paley Archive catalog online. The catalog includes information about the programs, but not the programs themselves. To view or listen to programs in the Archive, we invite you to visit the Paley Center library in New York City. Get information on our location and hours.

To inquire about specific programs, contact our reference librarians:

In New York: Wednesdays to Fridays, 5:00 to 5:30 pm (ET) only, call 212.621.6600, press "0" to speak to an operator, and ask for the library.

Can I get a clip of something in your collection for a project I’m working on?

It depends. Most of the material in the Paley Archive is akin to a library collection: the content was created by a third party and we have a copy, but we do not own the copyright; we cannot give you permission to use it. However, there are many programs produced by the Paley Center that we DO own and may license for projects. For more information, search the Paley Archive.

Has The Paley Center for Media been around a long time?

It was founded in 1975 by William S. Paley and opened in 1976 as The Museum of Broadcasting at 1 East 53 Street in New York City in a building that was converted office space. Paley’s vision was to make sure that programming was being preserved—in order to preserve our own cultural history—and to let this collection be accessible to the general public walking in off the street.

In response to evolving technologies, in 1990 we changed our name to The Museum of Television & Radio and in 1991 moved into a Philip Johnson–designed building at 25 West 52 Street, named for William S. Paley. In 1996 we opened The Museum of Television & Radio in Los Angeles at 465 North Beverly Drive in Beverly Hills, in a new building designed by Richard Meier and named for Leonard H. Goldenson.

It is now known as The Paley Center for Media, reflecting the growing range of communications that impact society.

Do I need to be a Member to use the library?

No, but there are many benefits to being a Member of this unique media community, discounts on event tickets, and access to Research Services.

BECOME A MEMBER

What is PaleyGX?

PaleyGX (Paley Gaming Experience) is an ongoing initiative to highlight the world of gaming within the media community. Together with family and friends, experience the most exciting and challenging games on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox, and high-performance PCs, plus cutting-edge virtual reality titles on Oculus—all free to play here at the Paley Center.

PALEY GX