Backstage with Sandy Kenyon: Inside The Paley Center for Media
MIDTOWN, Manhattan (WABC) -- It began life as "The Museum of Broadcasting" in 1975, conceived by the legendary founder of CBS, Bill Paley.
Now known as The Paley Center for Media, it's a cultural institution -- that is also a lot of fun.
"It's completely different (than what I expected)," visitor Audrey Gibbs said. "It's more interactive than I would've thought."
A new immersive video game exhibit called Paley GX is meant to draw in teens and younger kids, and it takes the museum experience to a whole new level as past, present and future come together.
"I was not expecting this at all," visitor Paige Chandler said. "But I'll take a personal little dance party any day of the week."
The fun and games - all free - are part of the experience, according to Paley Center President and CEO Maureen Reidy.
"The Paley Center has always been at the forefront of all things media," she said. "And gaming has certainly taken its place in our culture, so it's a natural fit that we would host an immersive gaming experience...When we launched, this place was on fire. We had a line out the door, down to Sixth Avenue, wrapping around the corner."
The center was founded more than four decades ago, but it's never felt fresher.
"Our mission is to showcase the importance and impact of media in our culture," she said. "Particularly when you look at television and how it can really start a story or break a barrier and educate audiences and bring people together...It might be an event that will showcase a premiere episode of your favorite TV show followed by an in-person discussion with the stars of the television show."
At the core of The Paley Center is the Paley Archive, which many refer to as a national treasure. In the vast archives is one of Sandy Kenyon's earliest broadcasts, a radio interview with news legend Barbara Walters.
"I think we offer something that no one else does," Reidy said. "They talk about the new golden age of television, and media couldn't be hotter. There's so many things, and The Paley Center is right at the forefront of everything.
CLICK HERE for more information on The Paley Center for Media.
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