25 Rare And Recent Photos Of Sesame Street: Celebrating 55 Years Of Muppet Magic And Behind-the-Scenes Secrets

Step into the world's most famous street. As of late 2024 and early 2025, the beloved children's program, Sesame Street, is celebrating its monumental 55th Anniversary, marking over five decades of groundbreaking educational television. This milestone brings a fresh wave of photos, from star-studded guest appearances in the upcoming Season 55 to touching archival images that reveal the magic behind the Muppets.

The intention behind searching for "photos of Sesame Street" is often a mix of nostalgia and curiosity: people want to see the classic characters, find rare behind-the-scenes glimpses, and check on the latest happenings. This article serves as your ultimate visual guide, blending the show’s rich history, its current focus on emotional well-being, and a sneak peek at the new celebrity guests gracing the iconic stoop in Season 55.

The New Faces of Season 55 and the 55th Anniversary Celebration

The enduring success of Sesame Street lies in its ability to evolve while maintaining its core mission. The show, which premiered in 1969, has officially entered its 55th year, with its latest season—Season 55—premiering in early 2025. This new era is perfectly captured in recent promotional photos, which feature a rotating cast of A-list celebrities interacting with classic Muppets like Elmo, Cookie Monster, and Abby Cadabby.

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The 55th anniversary year has been a major focus for Sesame Workshop, the non-profit organization behind the show. Photos from this period highlight the program's updated curriculum, which has recently emphasized crucial topics like emotional well-being and social-emotional learning, showing Muppets like Elmo expressing complex feelings. The show continues to be filmed at Kaufman Astoria Studios in New York City, maintaining the realistic urban environment that has defined its look since the beginning.

A Glimpse at the Star-Studded Guest List (Season 55, 2025):

Recent photos and news releases confirm an impressive lineup of celebrity guests for Season 55, providing fantastic new photo opportunities and showcasing the show's continued cultural relevance.

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• Michael B. Jordan: The actor joins the neighborhood to share a lesson.
• Reneé Rapp: The singer/actress appears with Muppets like Cookie Monster.
• SZA: The Grammy-winning artist brings her unique style to the street.
• Noah Kahan: The folk-pop star makes a highly anticipated appearance.
• Chris Stapleton: The country music star shares a moment with the cast.
• Samara Joy: The jazz singer adds a musical touch to the season.
• Jonathan Van Ness: The television personality brings his signature enthusiasm.
• Billie Jean King: The tennis legend teaches a lesson in sportsmanship and equality.

These entities—both human and Muppet—are central to the show's current visual identity, often seen in vibrant, high-definition photos that contrast sharply with the grainy, intimate shots of the show's early days.

Rare Vintage Behind-the-Scenes Photos: The Muppet Performers

For many fans, the most sought-after photos are those that pull back the curtain on the magic, revealing the puppeteers—or Muppet Performers—who bring the characters to life. Vintage behind-the-scenes photos from the 1970s and 80s offer a fascinating look at the intricate mechanics of the show, often showing the performers crouched, kneeling, or lying on the floor, hidden just out of the camera's frame.

These rare images highlight the genius of Jim Henson and his original team, including Frank Oz and Caroll Spinney.

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Key Insights from Vintage Set Photos:

• The Puppeteer's View: Photos often show the performers wearing dark clothing and sometimes even head coverings to blend into the floor, which is the "stage" for the Muppets.
• The Original Cast: Early photos capture the original human cast members, such as Bob McGrath (Bob), Loretta Long (Susan), and Will Lee (Mr. Hooper), interacting with the Muppets, showcasing the seamless blend of human and puppet characters that was revolutionary at the time.
• The Set's Construction: Vintage photos reveal that the iconic brownstone stoop, Hooper's Store, and Oscar the Grouch's trash can (which is actually a hole in the floor) are built on a raised set, allowing the puppeteers to operate the characters from below.
• Celebrity Cameos: Archival photos exist of legendary figures like Johnny Cash on the set in 1973, guitar in hand, a testament to the show’s immediate cultural impact.

The artistry captured in these photos is a tribute to the legacy of The Jim Henson Company and its performers. Even today, the current performers, such as Eric Jacobson (who performs Bert and Grover) and Peter Linz (who performs Ernie), carry on this tradition, with modern photos occasionally showing them working on the set at Kaufman Astoria Studios.

The Evolution of the Iconic Sesame Street Location

The fictional "Sesame Street" is a character in itself, based on a realistic urban environment in Manhattan, New York City. Photos of the set over the years track the evolution of the neighborhood, from its gritty, recognizable 1970s look to its current, brighter, and slightly more polished appearance.

Photo Tour of Key Locations and Entities:

Each iconic location on the set is a visual anchor for the show's narrative, and each has been captured in countless photos throughout the decades.

1. 123 Sesame Street (The Brownstone Stoop): This is the most photographed spot, the central meeting point for characters like Big Bird, Rosita, and the human cast. It represents the heart of the neighborhood.
2. Hooper's Store: Originally run by Mr. Hooper, this location is where the community gathers. Photos of the store’s interior and exterior capture its transformation after the passing of actor Will Lee.
3. Big Bird's Nest: Located behind the 123 brownstone, photos of the nest show the scale of Big Bird and the complex operation required to film the 8-foot-tall Muppet, who was originally performed by Caroll Spinney.
4. Oscar's Trash Can: The famous green metal can, home to Oscar the Grouch and his pet worm, Slimey, is often photographed from above, hiding the performer who is operating Oscar from below the street level.
5. The Subway Station: Although the street is a set, the show frequently features segments shot on location in New York City, with characters like Grover and Mr. Snuffleupagus appearing in real-world settings like Chinatown and Lincoln Center, providing a photo contrast between the studio set and the real city.

The latest photos of the street set show a vibrant, diverse neighborhood that continues to introduce new characters, such as the Muppet Tango, Elmo's puppy, ensuring the visual landscape stays current for a new generation while preserving the nostalgic feel that keeps long-time fans searching for those classic images.