Elmo, Ernie, Bert, Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch, Rosita, Cookie Monster, Grover, and Rosita all pose together

Sesame Street’s 50th Anniversary

Celebrating five decades of impact.

Helping kids everywhere grow stronger, smarter, and kinder!

Sesame Street debuted in 1969 and has made a positive impact in children’s lives ever since by bringing critical early education to children in 150+ countries.

Watch On:

A Street for Everyone

For over 50 years, our unforgettable characters have brought joyful learning into children’s lives—and helped Sesame Workshop change the world, one smile at a time.

50th Anniversary Highlight Reel

50th Anniversary Highlight Reel

Take a look back at some of our favorite moments over the last five decades!

Norah Jones Sings Welcome To The Party Song

Norah Jones Sings Welcome To The Party Song

Join Norah Jones and some of your favorite Sesame Street cast members as they welcome you to the 50th Anniversary party of Sesame Street!

50 Years in 50 Seconds Mashup

50 Years in 50 Seconds Mashup

Enjoy Sesame Street’s fastest celebration of 50 years in 50 seconds! Can you spot your favorite Sesame Street moment?

Sing Through the Years Mashup

Sing Through the Years Mashup

Whether in English or in Spanish, Sing/Canta has been an iconic Sesame Street song. Sing out loud with this mashup of celebs, cast, and beloved characters singing Sing through the years!

Featured Curriculum
50 Years of Impact
Sesame Street offers lessons from ABCs and 123s to healthy habits, self-regulation, empathy, friendship, and more. With an approach that’s adaptable to local cultures and needs, versions of Sesame Street reach children in over 150 countries. Iconic characters like Elmo, Grover, and Big Bird are beloved around the globe.

Show Characters

Meet the Muppets from Sesame Street and friends on the iconic show’s 50th Anniversary

Elmo waves at us.

Elmo

Elmo is a 3½-year-old red monster with a cheerful voice and contagious giggle. Enthusiastic, friendly, and curious, he loves to learn new things, make friends, and be part of everything that happens on Sesame Street!

Abby waves at us.

Abby

An imaginative and playful 4-year-old, Abby is a fairy-in-training! A confident and creative young learner, Abby is eager to discover new things about the world and find the magic around her.

Cookie Monster's mouth hangs open and he holds a cookie in his left hand.

Cookie Monster

Cookie Monster is an endearing and determined monster with an insatiable appetite for food—especially cookies! He’s a lovable friend who is learning self-regulation, sharing, and cooperation!

Big Bird smiles at us.

Big Bird

Big Bird is a 6½-year-old yellow bird whose unusual height gives him a unique perspective on the world. Sincere, caring, and open-hearted, he is learning to face big emotions and big challenges. He has an active imagination, a lot of curiosity, and a desire to help others in his community.

Bert smiles at us. He wears a vertically pinstriped sweater.

Bert

Bert lives with his best friend and roommate, Ernie, in the basement apartment of 123 Sesame Street. Bert is very serious and enjoys collecting bottle caps, eating oatmeal, and being organized.

Ernie smiles at us. He's wearing a horizontally striped shirt.

Ernie

Ernie lives in the basement apartment of 123 Sesame Street with his best friend, Bert. A bubbly, ebullient jokester, he knows how to enjoy himself. Ernie is best known for his love of baths and his Rubber Duckie

Pictogram of a world with a heart.
Featured News
Sesame Street Celebrates 50 Years and Counting

NEW YORK, NY, February 4, 2019 — It all began in 1969 on a street where colorful Muppets and humans lived—and learned—side by side.

9 Million Children
Within a decade, 9 million American children under the age of six were watching Sesame Street daily.