To open the MZTV Museum of Television's new location on Queen Street East, broadcaster Moses Znaimer (best known as the founder of MuchMusic and CityTV) invited more than 100 guests to a lunar-themed cocktail reception on Monday, the 40th anniversary of the first moon landing. "It was strategically selected so that all the media would come and we could have fun internally with the event," museum curator Michael Adams said of the opening date. "It was the first time in the history of man, nevermind television, when the whole world witnessed and experienced one event at the same time live on television, and it was Neil Armstrong landing on the moon."
To mark the anniversary, event organizers placed a selection of framed newspaper articles that appeared in The Globe and Mail and The Toronto Daily Star on July 21, 1969, on display in the foyer. Leanne Wright, vice president of communications for MZTV Media, said the museum decided against using any other decor for the event. Rather, organizers wanted to showcase the museum's current exhibit, entitled "Watching TV: Historic Televisions and Memorabilia from The Moses Znaimer Collection of the Cinémathèque Québécoise." The collection includes items like Felix the Cat—known as the first star of television—and Marilyn Monroe's portable TV set.
"You won't experience anything in the world like this television museum. It's not the history of Scooby Doo or I Love Lucy; it's the history of the culture of television. We all have shared in that and we've all been influenced by it," said Adams, who noted that invited guests for Monday's opening included local television personalities, descendants of early television pioneers, and Aileen Carroll, minister of culture for the province of Ontario.
The museum, established in 1992 and formerly located at the ChumCityStore on Queen Street West, holds up to 100 people and is available for private events. "We like to screen them to make sure they're somewhat related to broadcasting, technology, and the related industries," Adams said.
Event sponsors included Oak Heights Winery, Cinémathèque Québécoise, CTVglobemedia, Telus, Panasonic, and Steelcase.
