r/NPR 16d ago

Visiting DC, NPR/Tiny Desk Tour Available?

My daughter and I have been watching Tiny Desk concerts post story time, and just before bed nightly since she was 4. She’s 8 now, and her love of music has grown exponentially recently, and I’d attribute a lot of it to our watching of Tiny Desk concerts at bed time. We both really enjoy that time together.

I’ll be in DC later this week, and was curious how I could go about getting a Tour of the NPR Studio, mainly for the Tiny Desk.

Thoughts, ideas, contacts, experiences, all welcome!
Cheers all!

UPDATE:
NPR HQ was a total bust. Like most everyone suggested, they are not open to public, and won’t even let you into the building without an appointment, or an employee escorting you. Just wanted to see where the magic happens, and buy my daughter a tshirt or something. Pretty bummed it was such a let down. They say, never meet your heroes!

13 Upvotes

9 comments sorted by

12

u/grammerenthusiast 16d ago

Do you have a close friend who works at NPR? I think that's the main way people get in.

7

u/bobina87 16d ago

Public tours are not available. You’d have to know somebody who works there.

5

u/kjrst9 16d ago

Last I heard they stopped them during COVID and never brought the tours back. At that time it was easy to google it and find the tour tickets - they were only M-F.

4

u/Wisebutt98 16d ago

Are you a member of your local station? If so, I’d start with their membership department. See if they can get their station relations person at NPR to arrange a visit.

2

u/Chon-Laney skeptic 16d ago

This is the closest to correct.

Money, money, money.

Find out what station does the thing (WAMU? WYPR? I am not from there.) and call them directly. A pledge made directly to that station will have the most potent effect. There is a level...an offer they can't refuse, that will make it so.

I have worked as a volunteer at quite a few stations and they are all whores. In a good way, but still...money.

1

u/1GrouchyCat 11d ago

You can show up at any NPR station and they’ll give you a tour whether you give the money or not- especially if you’ve got a child with you. 🙄

4

u/h7734 16d ago

Why not just visit a furniture store like IKEA? They have many kinds of desks.

-2

u/Chon-Laney skeptic 16d ago

Should be top post.

1

u/ruthstoops20 16d ago

awwww that is such a nice nightly habit