All Photos By Gail

It’s funny to think that so many adults have never known a life where NBC’s late night comedy sketch program, Saturday Night Live did not exist, but it’s not so weird considering the show is currently celebrating its 40th year on the air. If you’re even a casual fan of the show and you live anywhere near NYC, you should make a point to see Saturday Night Live: The Exhibition, an independent and ridiculously comprehensive showcase collecting sets, props, photos, costumes, film clips and every type of random ephemera covering the show’s history, from the original Not Ready for Prime Time Players up to today.

Just as the exhibit takes chronological journey, let me guide you through some of the highlights with photos I took when I went to see it with Geoffrey last weekend.

Entry to the exhibit hall is very loosely timed, so that they can send groups in together and create a cohesive, immersive experience. When you first enter, a short history of the show’s highlights plays on the screen seen in the above photo, and you can sit and watch it and get all excited for what  you are about to experience. Consider it a kind of “warm up act” for the exhibit.

If you’ve been to a taping of SNL, you might recall that as you walk into Studio 8H you pass through a hallway lined with photos of the show’s many memorable characters from the past and present, such as Wayne and Garth, or Stefon. They have that here as well.

Just looking at a photo of Bill Hader portraying Stefon, Weekend Update’s Nightlife Correspondent, makes me laugh out loud.

There are galleries dedicated to the activities of each of the six days that it takes to produce each show: from pitching sketch ideas to writing and revising the scripts, to set design and building (which takes place in a warehouse in Brooklyn), costume design, rehearsal, the live broadcast, and through to the after show party; there aren’t any details left out of what you’ll learn regarding the behind-the-scenes goings on of SNL.

This is producer Lorne Michaels‘ actual desk from one of his two offices at 30 Rock.

The original Not Ready for Prime Time Players, before Billy Murray joined after the departure of Chevy Chase at the end of season one.

Land Shark Costume

Jacket Worn By Bill Murray’s Nick the Lounge Singer

Costume of Stuart Smalley, Originally Portrayed by Al Franken, Now a Senator from Minnesota!

Mock Up of the Writers Room

The Night’s Schedule for Each Show is Created with Index Cards on a Cork Board, for Easy Changes!

Wayne’s World! Wayne and Garth Costumes Worn by Mike Myers and Dan Carvey

You can take photos of yourself and friends on the Wayne’s World Set. If you are by yourself, an exhibit employee will happily snap one or two for you. Excellent!

Dress Worn By Dooneese, the Girl with the Creepy Voice and Teeny Tiny Hands, Portrayed By Kristin Wiig

Dick in a Box

Yoda Cowl Prosthetic Worn by Bobby Moynihan

Excedrin Racial Tension Headache Formula, Tressant Supreme Hair Color with Crack Cocaine

There’s a large display case filled with the various Fake Products featured in SNL Commercial Parodies over the past 40 — years, many of which I am sure you will remember with a chuckle!

Chewable Pampers, Short & Curly Pubic Shampoo, Shirt in a Can, Corn Chip Nail Tips

Balz-Off Testosterone Blocker

King Tut Costume Worn By Steve Martin

When the exhibition Treasures of Tutankhamen toured in the 1970s, the US was gripped by Tut-Mania. My parents even took us to see it! Steve Martin parodied the craze when he hosted in April of 1978. At the time, the King Tut sketch was SNL’s most expensive production. It became one of the show’s most iconic sketches and the song was  a million-selling single for Steve Martin, who resurrected the character for the 40th Anniversary Special.

Costumes Left to Right: Donatella Versace, Hans and Franz, Stefon

Seeing all of these great costumes from so many memorable characters that Saturday Night has brought into our lives, it is also a poignant reminder that some of the actors and comedians who portrayed them are, sadly, no longer with us.

Costumes Left to Right: Matt Foley (RIP Chris Farley), Opera Man, (Behind Opera Man) Coneheads, Mary Catherine Gallagher

Costumes Worn by the Sweeney Sisters (RIP Jan Hooks)

“Fire Bad!” RIP Phil Hartman

RIP John and Gilda

A Stack of Cue Cards for Just One Show!

Assorted Cue Cards. Can You Name the Sketch Each One is From?

This one is my favorite: from Martin Short’s opening monologue for the 4oth Anniversary Special. Hilarious.

This is a replica of the studio’s control room, where you can experience a 10 minute virtual recreation of what goes on during the live show! So cool!

And here we are in an exact, smaller-scale replica of Studio 8H, where a virtual Tina Fay comes out to give a fun monologue created just for this exhibit! As you can see, the experience is quite immersive and interactive.

Get your photo taken on this old Weekend Update set from some random year in the 1980’s for $20! To be fare, they also superimpose your favorite Weekend Update Anchor into the shot with you! Almost worth it!

Exit through the gift shop – it is massive!

Buy some swag, like this mug from The Californians sketch, which is insanely right on!

Or an Ambiguously Gay Duo Magnet!

As you can see, we had a fantastic time at Saturday Night Live: the Exhibition, which is sponsored by Premier Exhibitions, and Located at 417 5th Avenue New York, NY 10016. Adult tickets are $31 (includes a $2.00 service charge) which you can book at This Link, or buy on site, but you should definitely do some Internet footwork before you pay full price, because I’ve seen significant discounts offered through GoldStar, Gilt, and Groupon. The exhibit is expected to run though the holidays!