Museum of the Moving Image Opens Exhibit Featuring Sopranos Scripts and Set Designs

The Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria, Queens, is showing an exhibit called Stories and Set Designs for The Sopranos through May 31. This display pulls from showrunner and series creator David Chase's personal archive. It features scripts, notes, and research materials from the show.

According to NJ Monthly, the exhibit documents story arcs of the series. It traces how characters grew and changed. Materials show how the writers and designers built narrative worlds and visual spaces for the crime drama TV series.

The display examines the design of four main sites where central action unfolds: Dr. Melfi's office, the Sopranos' home, the Bada Bing strip club, and Satriale's Pork Store. Concept art and design drawings show how the look and layout of each set came together.

The series starred James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano and was set in North Jersey. Filming took place at locations around the state and on studio sets at Silvercup Studios in Queens.

The exterior of the Sopranos' home sits in North Caldwell. The Bada Bing strip club was filmed at Satin Dolls in Lodi. Satriale's Pork Store was converted from an empty shop in Kearny.

David Chase grew up in Clifton and North Caldwell. He has said the series was partly inspired by a New Jersey organized crime family that was active when he was growing up.

Nearly 20 years after the show went off the air, fans still visit the Soprano house in North Caldwell. Visitors also stop by Holsten's in Bloomfield to see where Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, and Robert Iler filmed the show's final scene.

The series is considered one of the greatest and most influential TV series of all time. The HBO production helped create a New Jersey backdrop as Tony navigated the worlds of the Mafia and Jersey suburbia.

More information is available on the museum's website.