The Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry
While on vacation a couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to stop in and see The Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry up in Connecticut. When we first pulled up, the first thing that struck me is how unassuming the place is. Once inside, however, I saw some really cool stuff. The current exhibit is called Puppets Through the Lens: The Puppet in Film, Television, and the Internet. The exhibit is packed with an array of instantly recognizable characters and as a builder it was so exciting to be that close to some of the puppets that I have only seen on the screen.
I was most excited when I turned a corner and saw Scooter looking at me! I’ve never seen any of the Muppets up close and was struck by how small he is. The next thing that hit me was how wonderful the fleece looked (I’m so disappointed at how the quality of Antron has diminished!)
There were so many beautiful puppets from over the years, including the gopher from Caddyshack, a dinosaur from Jurassic Park II, Bill Baird marionettes, Flexitoon puppets, and tons more. Here are a few more photos:
I was also struck with how small Muppets actually are. I have since worked to make my puppets as small and light as possible. Great vacation Philip!