Leave it to Ray Romano to turn a quiet Tuesday night in Stony Brook into a full-blown reunion of one of Long Island’s most beloved fictional families.
The star of Everybody Loves Raymond returned to Long Island on November 25th to help kick off the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame’s newest blockbuster exhibit, Everybody Loves Raymond: Celebrating 30 Years. The immersive installation opened to the public on November 28th and yes, you can actually walk into the Barone house without Marie showing up uninvited.
“This is the closest I come to time travel,” Ray Romano told the crowd at the VIP preview party. “It’s just a crazy special thing to experience this 20 years later.” Romano joked about following Billy Joel’s two-year exhibit run at LIMEHOF, “But I only get one year,” earning laughs from fans who’ve watched him navigate tougher crowds (mostly his TV parents).
LIMEHOF Chairman Ernie Canadeo praised the exhibit as another milestone for the Hall, and he wasn’t alone. Romano’s longtime manager Rory Rosegarten and show producer Tom Caltabiano were there to celebrate—and to marvel at how deeply the exhibit dives into the world of Lynbrook’s favorite fictional newspaper columnist.
Caltabiano, who snapped more than 30,000 behind-the-scenes photos during the show’s nine-year run (“the most photographed sitcom in TV history,” he proudly notes), contributed many of them to the display. Fans are now able to explore:
- The original studio sets, including the living room and kitchen
- Iconic props like the legendary fork and spoon
- Original clothing and Raymond’s Christmas toaster
- A 70-foot set piece from the CBS 30th Anniversary special
- Rare outtakes and behind-the-scenes footage in LIMEHOF’s surround-sound theater
The exhibit, created by LIMEHOF’s award-winning designer Kevin O’Callaghan, marks the first time a Raymond installation of this scale has been open to the public. And for a show set right here on Long Island, complete with Barones living in Lynbrook and Ray Romano working as a Newsday reporter, it’s a fitting homecoming.
Alongside the Raymond tribute, visitors can also explore the Billy Joel Collection from the Billy Joel Archives, rare memorabilia from more than 140 inductees, and a slate of performances and film screenings throughout the year.
Tickets are available at the LIMEHOF website and include access to all exhibits and the Hall’s full lineup of programs.
Long Island might not always agree on everything but there’s one universal truth: Everybody Loves Raymond, and everybody’s going to want to see this exhibit.
Photo: LIMEHOF website.
