As the long-running series The Walking Dead makes its way through its final season, AMC Networks has announced that they are partnering with the Museum of Moving Images (MoMI) to present a major exhibition called Living with The Walking Dead. The exhibition devoted to the popular series will be opening on June 25, 2022, at the Museum of Moving Images in Astoria, Queens, New York, and will be open for six months, closing on January 1, 2023.
The exhibition at the MoMI will provide an in-depth exploration of the groundbreaking series, looking into its history, development, and impact, as well as examine the issues and themes central to the series. The exhibition will also be accompanied by multiple screening series and other public events during the six-month span that it will be on display. Living with The Walking Dead will be found in the Museum’s third-floor changing exhibitions gallery and will explore the history and "cinematic and literary antecedents," from its influences to its origins as a graphic novel series by Robert Kirkman.
The exhibition will also include the original costumes and props from the series as well as the famed prosthetic makeup material by Special Effects Makeup Supervisor and Executive Producer Greg Nicotero and his team at the award-winning KNB EFX studios that turned actors into legions of undead. Other aspects of the show's production that will be on display include concept art, storyboards, and scripts.
Carl Goodman, MoMI Executive Director, said of the exhibition:
“It’s wonderful to be once again partnering with AMC Networks, this time to present an exhibition devoted to the long-running original series The Walking Dead. More than just a television show, it is a cultural phenomenon that is adored by legions of fans, who celebrate the innovative, engaging, and immersive world that its makers have built, and for its diverse cast of characters. The exhibition will bleed outward from our temporary exhibitions gallery and into our theaters, classrooms, and other public spaces.”
Tickets for the event will be on sale starting on May 5 for MoMI members and on May 9 for the rest of the general public. The MoMI previously partnered with AMC Networks on the exhibitions From Mr. Chips to Scarface: Walter White’s Transformation in Breaking Bad (2013) and Matthew Weiner’s Mad Men (2015).
It is no surprise that a series the size and with the cultural influence of The Walking Dead is getting its own exhibition at the MoMI. Debuting on Halloween night in 2010 as the #1 cable series launch of all time and is the most-watched series in cable history, the series has since gone on to run for over a decade and "unique innovations" in that time thanks to its "wide-ranging story of survival, diverse cast of characters, and devoted legion of fans." It has also spawned many spin-offs and supplementary content including Talking Dead, Fear the Walking Dead, The Walking Dead: World Beyond, two spinoffs planned for 2023, and the forthcoming episodic anthology series Tales of the Walking Dead.
"Over 11 seasons and 177 episodes, The Walking Dead has built a vibrant and massive global fan following, becoming one of the most beloved franchises in television,” said Dan McDermott, President of Entertainment and AMC Studios for AMC Networks. "We’re delighted to work with MoMI on an exhibition and lineup of events to commemorate this beloved series’ historic run, the immensely talented creative team, cast, and crew who brought it to life, and give this incredible fanbase a new and exciting way to experience their favorite show.”
The Living with The Walking Dead exhibition at the Museum of Moving Images will open on June 25 and will be on view until January 1, 2023. Tickets will go on sale starting on May 5 for MoMI members and on May 9 for the wider public. You can keep up to date on the event by visiting the official website of the exhibition for updates