Somebody Come and Play: 45 Years of Sesame Street Helping Kids Grow Smarter, Stronger, and Kinder gives a celebratory overview of the groundbreaking children's television series that traces its evolution from edgy experiment to internationally beloved brand. Its organized into themed sections—sets, scripts, animation, music, etc.—and there's a good amount of reading and artifacts ensconced behind glass. But the exhibit is about Sesame Street after all, and the curators have made sure the show's youngest fans will be engaged, too.

Kids should get a kick out of seeing 20-plus Muppets up close, including Elmo, forever roomies Bert and Ernie, Cookie Monster, Snuffleupagus decked out in Bjork's infamous Oscar dress, Big Bird and Super Grover (make sure you look up). There's also an adorable play area with tot-size tables and chairs that's stocked with Sesame Street books, coloring pages, a giant chalkboard and other activities. While the kids are occupied, you can take a few minutes to check out some of the less interactive bits.

Other little-kid attractions include Oscar peeking out of his trash can (just press the button located on the stoop to your left), a touch wall with different Muppet textures (it's set down low so tots won't have any trouble reaching it), and a photo booth where you can pose with a pair of Honkers and then email the pic to yourself.

My nine-year-old gravitated toward the videos (of course) and they really remind you of how revolutionary Sesame Street was, and how relevant it still is today. We enjoy watching clips from over the decades, many featuring celebrities or clever pop-culture parodies. My daughter was shocked to see that Oscar was originally orange (even I don't remember back that far), and I laughed out loud at the True Blood parody, True Mud, which featured spot-on Muppet impersonations of the campy characters from the HBO show. Finally, some screen time I could feel good about!

One of the biggest thrills for me, though, was getting a chance to show my daughter how my old Upper West Side neighborhood looked in the '70s and '80s. Sesame Street was originally filmed in the area, and its iconic stoop was inspired by the UWS brownstones. The exhibit includes some vintage clips and photos from when the characters went out into the city streets, and it's amazing to see how much everything has changed, even Lincoln Center.

Speaking of changes, thanks to Sesame Street and other edutainment pioneers, children's television is now a booming business. That means kids age out of the Street much more quickly than they did back when we were growing up since we didn't have as many TV options. So I was sad to discover that my kid, who hasn't watched Sesame Street since she was about four, barely remembers many of the Muppets or human characters. Clearly a binge-viewing session is in order!

If you want to make your visit to Sesame Street extra-memorable, considering going when the library will be hosting one of its special kids' programs:

Storytelling for Kids – On select Wednesdays at 11am, the exhibit will open early for toddler storytelling led by retired NYPL children's librarians. Check the calendar for the complete schedule.

Family Day! – On Columbus Day, Monday, October 13 from 1 to 4pm, visitors can enjoy storytelling, giveaways, games and a visit from a special Sesame Street star. The first 50 kids to arrive will snag FREE goodie bags.

Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird – On Wednesday, October 22 at 3pm, catch a no-cost screening of this 1985 feature about Big Bird trying to make his way home to Sesame Street after being removed by a meddling social worker.

The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland – On Wednesday, November 19 at 3pm, see every preschooler's favorite red monster in his first film, in which he goes in search of his beloved blue blanket in a faraway land.

Somebody Come and Play: 45 Years of Sesame Street Helping Kids Grow Smarter, Stronger, and Kinder is on view at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, 40 Lincoln Center Plaza near 65th Street, through Saturday, January 31, 2015. Admission is FREE. The library is closed on Sundays.

Find out about other great exhibits for kids in our Museum Guide. Or read about other fun things for families at Lincoln Center.