Paley Museum Celebrates 45 Years Of Pac-Man With Limited-Time Exhibit

There are few video game characters in the world more instantly recognizable than Pac-Man. The legend goes that the character was inspired by the image of a pizza with a single slice removed. The original “Pac-Man” video game, released to arcades in 1981, was an instant hit, and the franchise has been going strong ever since.

You probably don’t need me to explain the basic gameplay of Pac-Man. After all, the magic of it is, if you take but a fleeting glimpse of the game screen, you can probably figure out what you need to do. Collect the dots, eat the food, don’t get caught by the ghosts. It’s that simple. Even so, people have been playing the game for 45 years and will continue to play until the end of time.

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In celebration of 45 years of Pac-Man, the Paley Center for Media in New York City is currently holding a limited-time exhibit dedicated to all things Pac-Man. I had the opportunity to visit the exhibit and snap a few photos, but if you want the full experience for yourself (and live in the greater New York area), it’s well worth a trip to NYC to check out the exhibit for yourself.

The exhibit runs through June 7, 2026 and features playable arcade cabinets, console games, and even showings of classic Pac-Man cartoons. There’s a walkable timeline of Pac-Man’s real-life history, as well as tons of artifacts like classic lunchboxes, merchandise, artwork, and other goodies that will entice old-school Pac-maniacs. If you just can’t get enough Pac-Man, May 22 will see the debut of “Pac-Man: Snack Breaks,” a new animated series that will debut exclusively on the Pac-Man YouTube channel. New episodes will release every month, with the first episode debuting today, May 22.

Pac-Man has evolved quite a bit over the last 45 years. While the original maze-based arcade games are the best-known incarnation of the series, it branched out into 3D platformers like the “Pac-Man World” trilogy, party games like the aptly named “Pac-Man Party,” and even “Metroid”-style action games like 2025’s “Shadow Labyrinth,” which is entirely unlike any Pac-Man game you’ve ever seen before. He even has the honor of being a playable character in the “Super Smash Brothers” series. All of this is to say that Pac-Man is an incredibly versatile brand that has lasted 45 years and will continue to entertain fans of all ages for as long as video games exist, either on home console or wherever you can find arcade cabinets these days. If you can make it out to the Paley Center before June 7, it’s worth paying tribute to the video game legend that helped transform video games from a hobby for tech enthusiasts into a pillar of modern culture.

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This story was originally published May 21, 2026 at 4:12 PM.