After a pilot episode entitled Sesamplein ("Sesame Square") which was released in 1974, Sesamstraat began broadcasting in 1976. It started as a Dutch/Belgian co-production, with only one thirty-minute episode a week. These episodes had only 12 minutes allotted for the Dutch cast. At the time, there were only two Muppets and three live actors (Piet Hendriks, Sien Diels, and Annet van Heusden). Piet owned a hobby and crafts workshop and a camper which he would drive around The Netherlands and Belgium for live trips. Sien owned a grocery store, where the exchange of knowledge and happenings were as important as the selling of products. Annet played a kindergarten teacher. In 1978, the show's format changed to a daily 15 minute show that aired in the evening, around dinnertime.
The first season was shot on location in a half Dutch, half Belgian town. It was broadcast every Sunday for a half-hour in the afternoon. For the second season, a realistic town square was built inside the studio, which slowly evolved into a more abstracted, colorful town, featuring Pino's nest, Sien's store, a workshop, two houses, an apartment building, a trailer and a treehouse. The insides of the house sets could be decorated in different ways, so that the viewers would never be certain about who lived where.
Other special Sesamstraat episodes include the 2500th episode, and a yearly special episode focused on Sinterklaas. The 25th anniversary of the series featured guest appearances on the street by Dutch celebrities. On 7 January 2000, Prime Minister Wim Kok read the daily story "Er staat een olifantje in het gras..." (There is a little elephant standing in the grass) for the Muppet residents before they went to sleep. Wim Kok is one of the many prominent guests who read a story to them. (Normally this was done by Frank, Gerda or Paula). Other celebrities that have made guest appearances include Freek de Jonge (comedian), Ruud Gullit (professional soccer player), André van Duin (comedian), Mary Dresselhuys (actress), Hans Dagelet (actor), Kees van Kooten (writer), Brigitte Kaandorp (comedian), Sonja Barend (show host) and Janine Kastelijn (Youth Winner for Reading in 2000).
In 1992, a 30-minute film, Sesamstraat en Melkweg, was produced for the Artis Zoo Planetarium in Amsterdam.
In 2005, the show saw some schedule trouble. The government decided to halt the funding and broadcasts of NPS. The final debate took place on 12 September 2005, in the Tweede Kamer. It was decided that NPS could continue making programs, but it had to make several changes to fit into modern television, including a new broadcast schedule.