We’d already walked the whole museum when I met Julie, one of the Museum of Broadway’s two co-founders. When she said, “somehow this never existed in New York before,” we realised – she’s totally right. It feels impossible that a city built on theatres and musicals didn’t already have a home for the story of Broadway.
Julie has lived in New York for over 20 years and works in the world she now helps celebrate. She’s a Tony voter, a producer and a member of the Broadway League. In other words, she’s very much the real deal and we couldn’t wait to chat to her find out more about the museum!
How the Museum of Broadway began
It sounds crazy, “but there was no museum like this in New York,” Julie told me. “We wanted to create a place where people could really understand how Broadway became what it is today.”
What followed was a multi-year process of designing, curating and consolidating more than a century of theatre history. “We wanted people to have an awareness of standing on the shoulders of those who came before us – because without those pioneers, there is no Broadway today.”
That idea became the backbone of the museum: a walk-through timeline of Broadway’s evolution, starting with the Ziegfeld Follies (the precursor to THE Broadway show) and moving through every decade. You’ll wander from Oklahoma to West Side Story, Cabaret, The Wiz and A Chorus Line. One moment you’re dancing along to West Side Story routines, the next you’re following the Yellow Brick Road downstairs.
The original showgirls!
Creating the immersive magic
One thing I noticed on my own visit was how interactive and Instagrammable the whole museum is – not in a gimmicky way, but in a gloriously theatrical way. Julie confirmed, it wasn’t accidental.
The idea was that each section would be immersive: “we wanted people to feel like the show was coming to life around them. And we wanted it to speak to every generation.”
And it absolutely does. You step onto a stage, looking out at projected Broadway auditoriums; you explore lighting, stagecraft, set design and costume; you get hands-on with the process that normally stays invisible.
Guests of every age love it, but for different reasons. “Kids love the interactivity and how ‘in’ the show you are,” Julie said. “Older visitors love the nostalgia, that feeling of remembering the first time you saw that show or heard that song.”
For Julie, theatre is for all of us: “There’s something on Broadway for everyone, that’s what makes it special.”
Sings *here's here... the Phantom of the Opera*
A museum built for the whole journey
In total, the museum covers 26,000 square feet. It’s deceptively big, and beautifully designed, but the part that struck me most is the final stage-door section. Here, the focus is less on the shows themselves and more on the people and processes that make them.
“We wanted to show how many other roles are involved, not just the people you see on stage,” Julie said. From writing to composing to props, sets and stage management, it highlights just how many creative minds are part of Broadway’s most unforgettable productions.
Her favourite part?
“The behind-the-scenes section - I love when guests see the process of how a song or script is developed. You can see the handwritten notes and crossed-out lyrics. It’s the journey from the first idea to the finished show.”
She pointed out a personal favourite - Jonathan Larson’s mirror from his apartment: “it’s the real one that he would’ve looked into every day while he was thinking of and writing his shows,” And we agree, that’s very cool!
Don't miss the original cast from Dear Evan Hansen
What people don’t realise about Broadway
“Most people never go backstage,” Julie said. “They don’t realise how much work goes into making the magic, or how many people it takes to bring a show to life.”
And that’s why the museum is the perfect complement to seeing a Broadway show. It makes you look at theatre differently and appreciate it even more.
Some final Broadway recommendations
She wasn’t keen to reveal a single favourite – “I’m Switzerland,” she laughed – but she did share a few she’s loving right now:
“I’d have to say 'Operation Mincemeat', 'Oh Mary’ and ‘Buena Vista Social Club’.”
Her best advice for choosing?
“See anything that you think will make you laugh or might change your perspective.”
We couldn’t have said it better ourselves!
See how the words go from the page, to the stage!
Standing ovation…
We loved the museum. It’s immersive, beautifully curated and full of joy and talent. Whether you’re a seasoned theatre-goer or you just walked into Times Square and want to understand what the fuss is about, it’s the perfect introduction – and celebration – of Broadway.
And when you’ve been through it yourself, you’ll appreciate every show you watch afterwards even more.
Enjoyed this little slice of New York?
Take your trip to the next level with our complete guide to The Museum of Broadway or check out our chat with Queen of the Empire State Building, all filled with visitor hacks and money-saving tips.
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