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The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame in Stony Brook drew record crowds this past weekend for the debut of its new exhibit, Everybody Loves Raymond: Celebrating 30 Years.
Visitors packed the opening and offered rave reviews, calling it a major success for the Hall of Fame, with the set from the hit show taking center stage.
This is the first time a complete exhibition of this scale has been assembled for public display, and the first time ever that the set is accessible to the public, museum officials said.
“The enthusiastic crowds of fans for our Everybody Loves Raymond exhibition is evidence that we can create major exhibitions and have established ourselves as one of Long Island and New York’s most popular cultural centers,” said Ernie Canadeo, the Hall of Fame’s chairman and the exhibit’s executive producer.
The opening followed a VIP preview on Nov. 25, where Everybody Loves Raymond star Ray Romano, a Queens native who played a Long Islander on the show, was the guest of honor.
“This is a super surreal moment in my life,” Romano said. “This is the closest I come to time travel to be here in this museum exhibit. The job they’ve done is unbelievable and it’s just a crazy special thing to experience this 20 years later.”
The show ran from September 1996 through May of 2005.
Rory Rosegarten, Romano’s manager and an executive producer of Everybody Loves Raymond, and writer-producer Tom Caltabiano also attended. Show creator Philip Rosenthal is a supporter of the exhibit as well.
On opening morning, Brian Linder and his son, Brian Jr., of Yaphank were first in line after seeing a News 12 feature, they told Hall of Fame officials.
Behind them was Lois Meyer of Ridge, visiting with her family and hoping to see the engraved toaster from a classic Christmas episode.
“I’m looking forward to seeing that toaster,” she said.
Trish Tast of Huntington said her family enjoyed revisiting a show they all watched together.
“Our kids are 19 and 22, and it’s something that all four of us can all go to as a family,” she said.
Other visitors said seeing the sets and props in person was a highlight.
“It was very surreal to walk in and something you see so often on television, now here you are,” said Frank Devenuto of Sayville.
Scott Goodman of Northport called the exhibit “overwhelming” in the best way.
Queens visitor Navita Shivsawak said, “It felt like I was walking into an episode of the show.”
Presented by Catholic Health and designed by the Hall of Fame’s creative director Kevin O’Callaghan, the exhibit marks the first time a full-scale Everybody Loves Raymond set has been assembled for public display. Visitors can walk through the Barone home, including the living room and kitchen, and see iconic items like original clothing, the fork and spoon, and the Christmas toaster. Behind-the-scenes clips and outtakes also play in the surround-sound theater. Click here for tickets.
A closing date has not been announced, but the exhibit is expected to run for at least a year.
— all photos come courtesy of Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame
Prior coverage:
Top: The opening followed a VIP preview on Nov. 25, where Everybody Loves Raymond star Ray Romano (pictured) was the guest of honor. (courtesy/Hall of Fame press release)
