How the Super Bowl Halftime Show Rocked the World

Thursday, January 29, 2026
4:00 pm
The Paley Museum, 25 West 52 Street, NYC
Curator: Jason Lynch

The Super Bowl draws the largest U.S. TV audience each year—but the most watched segment of the Big Game doesn’t involve football. Instead, the Super Bowl Halftime Show routinely brings in the telecast’s highest ratings. Join Paley curator Jason Lynch for a look back at how the Halftime Show evolved from spotlighting college marching bands to becoming music’s premier showcase for the industry’s biggest superstars, including Prince, Beyoncé, Michael Jackson, U2, and Lady Gaga. He’ll screen some of the most unforgettable (and controversial) Super Bowl Halftime Show performances of all time, curated from the Paley Archive, and share surprising behind-the-scenes details about these iconic music moments.

Free for Paley Members, included in General Admission.
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