Paley Museum celebrates 50th anniversary and unveils two renovated theaters
The Paley Center for Media’s New York headquarters, the Paley Museum, kicks off its 50th anniversary this week with the unveiling of a makeover, including two newly renovated theaters, a new exhibition and collection space and more.
Located in downtown Manhattan, the Paley Museum was first founded in 1975 by CBS founder William S. Paley as the Museum of Broadcasting, and later as the Museum of TV & Radio. (The name was changed to Paley Center in 2007). The museum later added a second building on the west coast in Beverly Hills (opened in 1996 and closed in 2020).
“For five decades, Paley has stood at the intersection of media, culture and education, serving as a trusted resource for public audiences and educators alike. Recognized as the industry’s premier meeting place – presenting programs with unparalleled convening power – Paley has evolved into its place as the preeminent nonprofit organization in the media industry,” said Frank A. Bennack, Jr., executive vice chairman and former CEO of Hearst, and chairman of the Paley Center since 1991.
The Paley Museum continues to host events such as the annual PaleyFest NY, as well as the annual Paleyland holiday family event, and the Paley Archive, featuring unique and rare video and audio programs.
The updates to the Paley Museum (designed by Philip Johnson) were overseen by the Paley board’s renovation committee, which included Frank A. Bennack, Jr., Mark Lazarus, William C. Paley, Maureen Reidy, David Schoer, Somyanarayan Sampath, Jennifer Witz and Strauss Zelnick, along with Tom Gallagher of DLR Group.
“The Paley Museum has proudly called New York City home for fifty years. Building on its storied legacy, it has become the destination where media, sports, gaming and entertainment converge – with blockbuster exhibitions, interactive experiences and once-in-a-lifetime events,” said Reidy, president and CEO of The Paley Center for Media. “As we unveil our newly renovated theaters and galleries, we express our deepest gratitude to our generous donors – including the William S. Paley Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation and The Hearst Foundations – for making these new spaces possible.”
Among the changes: two newly renovated theaters, including the 200-seat Bennack Theater and the George J. Gillespie, III Theater on the museum’s second floor. According to Paley, the theaters now feature “new seating, plush carpeting, rich wood paneling and refined finishes, complemented by state-of-the-art Dolby Atmos surround sound, advanced lighting design and the latest breakthrough technology.”
The renamed George J. Gillespie, III Theater, sponsored by the William S. Paley Foundation, honors an attorney, philanthropist and leader who served on the Paley Board and the Paley Foundation Board for nearly three decades.
“It is an honor to support the Paley Center for Media on this milestone occasion,” said William C. Paley of the William S. Paley Foundation. “I believe my father would be very proud to see how Paley has grown from its original vision to the iconic destination it has become today.”
Also new: the Bloomberg Gallery on the concourse level, via Bloomberg Philanthropies, which features a digital exhibition wall and will feature immersive exhibitions, as well as serve as a venue for receptions and events. The Paley Museum will also be featured in the Bloomberg Connects app starting November 5.
“The Paley Museum has helped document and share the incredible story of media evolution, from radio and television to the Internet and social media and beyond,” said Bloomberg founder and former New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. “We are pleased to help the museum celebrate its 50th anniversary by working with the museum to open the new Bloomberg Gallery and launch Bloomberg Connects, and we look forward to seeing how the museum continues to evolve as a center for learning and leadership.”
And then the entrance to the Bennack Theater is called the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Entrance.
“As a hub of not only media, but also sports, politics and entertainment, the Paley Museum offers us all the opportunity to better understand the cultural forces that flow through our lives,” said Andreas Dracopoulos, co-chair of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation. “We at SNF feel a strong resonance in our own work to broaden access to arts and culture, journalism and trusted information, while always keeping humanity at the center.”
An upcoming second phase of the renovation will include content creation and podcast studios, as well as a new recording studio and television studio.
This year’s PaleyFest NY, Friday, November 7-16, will include conversations with country singer Trisha Yearwood, two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning and the casts and creative teams from the series ‘Pluribus’, ‘Landman’, ‘Power Book IV: Force’ and ‘A Man on the Inside’.
The Paley Museum will host discussions with sports reporter Bob Costas on December 9; Next year, the Paley Museum will include an event themed around the 50th season of “Survivor.” The venue will also host a Super Bowl viewing party, a new series of artists and songwriters and more.
