Summary: The tour of NBC network headquarters includes a peak into working television studios (and some time watching SNL rehearsals, if you're lucky) and a look at the mechanics of producing a TV show.

NBC, which is headquartered in the GE Building, the 70-story tower situated behind the Prometheus statue at Rockefeller Center, offers a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to run a TV network. Their tour recounts the dawn of NBC's foray into the world of television and presents an overview of the programs that put the network on the map.

You'll start and end at the "NBC Experience," a 20,000 square foot facility located on the corner of 49th Street and Rockefeller Plaza (directly across from Studio 1A, home of the Today show), which includes interactive features, a 3 screen high-definition (HDTV) theater, and a candy store that features a three-dimensional map of the city laid out on the floor.

The tour's first stop is a video tour of NBC's history (which dates back to 1926), hosted by Katie Couric and Matt Lauer of Today.

Tour Highlights
The best part of the tour, by far, is the time spent in the actual TV studios. Your tour will include two or three studios from the following list. Where your tour will take you is based on production schedules and special events that day:

Studio 3A—home of Later Today
Studio 3B—home of Dateline NBC
Studio 3C—home of NBC Nightly News
Studio 3K—home of NBC Sports
Studio 6A—home of Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Studio 8H—home of Saturday Night Live

Our favorite has always been Studio 8H, the set of Saturday Night Live. Although the show has lost a bit of its luster in recent years, it is fun to watch the cast and crew at work (assuming that you are fortunate enough to see them in action, which is quite possible, but not guaranteed). Even if a rehearsal isn't in progress, it is exciting to see the place where one of TV's most enduring shows is made.

We also enjoyed the display of costumes and props which line the corridors near Studio 8H. Look in particular for the Conehead suits and the Killer Bees costumes. These items are likely to make big SNL fans nostalgic for the show's heyday.

What's Next
After touring the studios, you'll stop at a control room. Unlike the other parts of the tour, which take you through actual TV sets used by NBC, the mini-control room was built especially for visitors. It provides an opportunity for several members of the tour group to see themselves on TV while demonstrating the technological processes that are involved in creating a news broadcast.

The final stop is the NBC/Panasonic HDTV Theatre. Using NBC clips from the past and present, you'll see what the future of television might be like in High Definition. NBC touts this theatre as the only one in the world featuring three-screen blended technology on a curved surface.

Pick Up Tickets EARLY
Go early in the day to pick up your tickets (or buy them in advance) because they are sold on a first come, first served basis and often sell out quickly. Tours take place every 15 to 30 minutes and last about an hour and 10 minutes.

You can reach the NBC Studio by subway via the B, D, F and Q trains. Exit at the Rockefeller Center station, which is located beneath the GE Building.

Other NBC Attractions
The Today Show does more than just offer tours. Their studio, behind sidewalk-level showcase windows at 10 Rockefeller Plaza (on West 49th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues), is open for public viewing. Today broadcasts often feature the faces of tourists crowded around the windows that surround the set. From time to time, Katie Couric and Matt Lauer actually go out and speak to the masses. You might get a chance at your 15 seconds of television fame by showing up outside the Today studio as the show is recorded each weekday morning from 7 am to 9 am.

You might also enjoy the interactive features of the "NBC Experience." For example, you can see how blue-screen technology is used as you (appear to) sit in the guest chair next to Jay Leno on the set of the Tonight Show or replace Andy Richter on Late Night with Conan O'Brien (you can even leave with a video tape of you and Jay/Conan!).

More Information
For further details and information about special events, see NBC's web site.

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