Museum of Broadcast Communications to open new pop-up featuring exhibits celebrating Johnny Carson, late-night TV

CHICAGO (WGN) — Some big changes are in store for the Museum of Broadcast Communications.

The museum moved out of its River North home at State Kinzie Street in April of 2023, but a brand new location featuring some big new exhibits will soon be welcoming visitors.

Organizers say the museum will soon open a pop-up at 440 West Randolph Street, near the corner of North Canal Street and West Randolph Street in the West Loop.

Crews are already getting things ready to move in the displays and memorabilia detailing Chicago’s broadcast history.

In the new space, museum curators will be debuting two new special exhibitions, the “Johnny Carson Centennial” and “75 Years of Late-Night Television.”

The exhibits will celebrate the legacy of the legendary host and the evolution of late-night programming.

“The Evolution of Late Night Television exhibit is a dynamic journey through one of television’s most enduring formats that began 75 years ago. The exhibit explores the contributions of hosts from Steve Allen and Jack Paar to David Letterman, Arsenio Hall, Joan Rivers, Jay Leno, Conan O’Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, and Stephen Colbert, while examining how the format continues to adapt to streaming, podcasts, and digital media,” a meuseum spokesperson said in a post on Facebook announcing the new exhibits.

The new pop-up is set to welcome visitors starting Friday, Oct. 24, 2025, and will remain open through January 2027.

Visit the Museum of Broadcast Communications website or follow them on social media for more information on the new space.