Where-To-Go Wednesday - New York Public Library Insider Access Tour

We were given a free New York Public Library Insider Access Tour for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.

What: New York Public Library Insider Access Tour

Where: New York Library for the Performing Arts
            40 Lincoln Center Plaza
            New York, NY

Who: Teens and up

Me - The New York Public Library Insider Access Tour was fun. We got to places in the library where people don't usually go. We saw lots of files of theater related things. We also saw some models of sets from some shows. We also saw the room where they keep all the scripts. They are all blue, and they don't have names on them. They keep track of them by number. At the beginning of the tour we went into a room and they had scripts and pictures and some other objects related to different shows. I liked that we got to go places that people don't usually get to go on this tour. I have never gone on a tour like that before where you get to go behind the scenes at the library. The tour guide was nice and informative. People who are interested in theater or libraries would enjoy this tour.

Mom - The New York Public Library Insider Access Tour is led by Doug Reside, Curator of Theater at the New York Library of Performing Arts. It is interesting listening to him talk about the innerworkings of the library. You will get to go places that the public normally doesn't get to go on this tour. However, you won't actually get to see at a lot. The tour starts in one of the conference rooms. At that point of the tour, you will see the most artifacts that you will see at any point on the tour. On our tour we got to see things like an original script of The Sound of Music, pictures from the original production of Carousel, and a framed lock of hair from the actor Edwin Booth.* I am not sure if the artifacts are the same on every tour, but most likely they are not. After you leave the conference room and tour the areas of the library that are normally off limits to the public, you will not see a lot of artifacts. You will mostly see books and/or boxes on shelves and filing cabinets. You may get to see a few set models from different shows, but you can often see more set models and other artifacts  just by visiting one of the many comprehensive exhibits which are usually on display on the ground floor of the library. In recent years, these exhibits have included ones on Sesame Street, The Magic Flute, and Leonard Bernstein.  Last year's exhibit on the last 40 years of Broadway and  West End theatre included quite  a few set models as well as a many other assorted  theater related artifacts. The New York Public Library Insider Access Tour is definitely not a good tour for young children who would be bored and inclined to want to try to touch things. Teens who enjoy theater or are interested in knowing more about what goes on behind the scenes in the library might enjoy it, however. Over all, if you are looking for a tour where you will get to see a lot, this tour is not a good choice, but if you are interested in hearing interestings things about the Library of Performing Arts, you might enjoy this tour.

New York Public Library Insider Access Tours are available through Show-Score, for information or to sign up for a tour, visit www.show-score.com/experiences. For more information about Show-Score or to sign up for a free membership, visit www.show-score.com, You can also learn more about Show-Score in our previous post Twelve Reasons to Join Show-Score Now!

And that's our view. Tune in tomorrow for Theater Thursday.

*On the New York Library Insider's Access Tour, you are allowed to photograph the artifacts you but you are asked not to share the photographs, which is why no pictures accompany this post.