The Paley Center for Media Announces the Grand Opening of The Paley Archive at the Beverly Hills Public Library
Monday, March 24, 2025
The World-Class Collection of Television & Radio Programs and Advertisements Welcomes Visitors Starting on March 20
Accompanied by a Robust Lineup of Programs Including Paley’s Acclaimed Conversation with a Curator Series Making its West Coast Debut and the Exciting New Family Series From Storytime to Screentime
Beverly Hills, CA, March 20, 2025 – The Paley Center for Media proudly announces the grand opening of The Paley Archive at the Beverly Hills Public Library. Often referred to as a national treasure, The Paley Archive is an invaluable media resource that preserves and makes accessible a vast collection of television and radio programs and advertisements. Open year-round to the public with complimentary admission, The Paley Archive will also feature special events including family programs and curator-led discussions, providing an engaging space for discovery and exploration. The renowned collection resides at both The Paley Museum in New York City and now, at its West Coast home in the Beverly Hills Public Library.
"When visitors come to The Paley Archive, they will discover a vibrant cultural destination where families, students, scholars, artists, and the creative community can explore and engage with the living history of media," said Maureen J. Reidy, President & CEO of The Paley Center for Media. "We are honored to partner with our friends at the Beverly Hills Public Library and the City of Beverly Hills, and we deeply appreciate their partnership and tremendous support."
“We are thrilled to celebrate this significant partnership between the City of Beverly Hills, and The Paley Center for Media,” said Beverly Hills Mayor Lester Friedman. “This partnership enables the community to access a collection of over 160,000 titles in The Paley Archive, representing more than a century of television and radio history.”
The Paley Archive comprises over 160,000 television and radio programs and advertisements that span more than a century of media history. Carefully curated, The Paley Archive encompasses a wide array of genres—comedy, drama, entertainment, sports, news, public affairs, documentary, performing arts, reality, animation, and children's and family programming—and each program accepted into the Archive is selected for its artistic, cultural, and historical significance. The collection provides a global perspective on media history, with holdings from over seventy countries including the earliest known live television broadcast.
The Paley Archive at the Beverly Hills Public Library will feature year-round programs for all ages including the acclaimed Conversation with a Curator series which makes its West Coast debut. This series offers insightful discussions on significant media topics and landmark anniversaries drawing from historical programs found in the renowned Paley Archive. The Conversation with a Curator series will be an exclusive opportunity to explore the powerful intersection of media and history while learning directly from Paley’s in-house experts and special guests. Upcoming conversations will explore the evolving relationship between books and television, celebrate Stevie Wonder’s 75th birthday, and examine the enduring impact of iconic journalist Edward R. Murrow.
Paley will also launch a new, fun, entertaining, and educational program series for families called From Storytime to Screentime. Families can enjoy a special weekend experience featuring screenings of beloved TV shows inspired by classic children’s books. The program starts with a cozy storytime, where a presenter reads the original book aloud. Afterward, families will watch the TV show adaptation and participate in arts & crafts and activities inspired by the stories. It’s the perfect combination of reading, watching, and playing—only at Paley!
To celebrate the opening of the Paley Archive, Paley will offer visitors to the Beverly Hills Library 20% off tickets to the 42nd Annual PaleyFest LA. This year’s festival features television’s brightest stars and biggest names from acclaimed shows including Severance (Apple TV+), Cobra Kai (Netflix in association with Sony Pictures Television), Agatha All Along (Disney+/Hulu), Matlock (CBS Television Network & CBS Studios), The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu), Hacks (Max), Poker Face (Peacock), Gilmore Girls, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and Étoile: The Amy Sherman-Palladino Multiverse (Prime Video). Visitors to the Beverly Hills Public Library can use code BHLIBRARY to take advantage of this limited time offer.
Television fans can also revisit memorable PaleyFest events at The Paley Archive including conversations with the casts of Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Morning Show, Suits, black-ish, Lost, The Golden Girls, The Big Bang Theory, The Mandalorian, Loki, and many more.
Paley Members can unlock benefits such as the ability to reserve The Paley Archive consoles, a members-only Scholars Room, seating at Paley programs including Conversation with a Curator and From Storytime to Screentime. To find out more information about becoming a Paley Member, visit paleycenter.org/membership.
For more information including the hours of operation and upcoming schedule of events, please visit paleycenter.org
Media Contacts:
Teresa Brady, Director of Communications, The Paley Center for Media
tbrady@paleycenter.org – 212.621.6757
Hiltzik Strategies
Sunshine Sachs Morgan & Lylis
paleycenter@ssmandl.com
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About The Paley Center for Media
The Paley Center for Media is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates the iconic Paley Museum in New York, which has been named The City’s Best “Best Museum” and “Best Children’s Party Place” for two years running. Through its respected programming, the Paley Center leads the discussion about the cultural, creative, and social significance of media, drawing upon its curatorial expertise, an international collection, and close relationships with the media community. The general public can enjoy best-in-class Paley events in both New York and Los Angeles. The public can also access The Paley Archive at The Paley Museum in New York and at the Beverly Hills Public Library in Beverly Hills. Previously known as The Museum of Television & Radio, the Paley Center was founded in 1975 by William S. Paley, a pioneering innovator in the industry.