Museum of Broadway in the Theater District opens its doors

NEW YORK - The Museum of Broadway, which shines a spotlight on the history of the Great White Way, finally opened its curtain in the Theater District following five years in the making.

The museum takes fans backstage to see how Broadway shows transform from an idea, to opening night. People will stroll through an experiential timeline of Broadway from the first documented New York production in 1732 to present day, with each section of the museum designed by a different artist or Broadway set designer.

"In the room that is dedicated to Rent, the original scenic designer, Paul Clay, designed the room, and we’re working with all of these people that originally touched the show," said museum co-founder and Broadway producer Julie Boardman.

From costumes from Hamilton to the cornfields of Oklahoma in 1943 to a psychedelic swing from 1968’s Hair, and an abstract, immersive room for Company – the museum features all different types of musicals and plays.

"The museum is for Broadway fans that know everything, then also for someone who doesn’t know all that much, maybe has seen one show or doesn’t know that history," said co-founder Diane Nicoletti. "It really does provide something for everyone.

In the second act of your Museum of Broadway adventure, you'll enter the "Making of a Broadway Show" room, where you see what it's like backstage.

Tickets for the museum start at $43.