Please note, this post is sponsored by the MAX, Mississippi’s arts, and entertainment experience.
As a young child, nearly every morning started the same. Walking our dogs, eating breakfast, and watching Sesame Street. A program that helped instill my love for reading, education, and all things learning. A tradition that many families like my own continue to share to this day. A tradition shared by Jim Henson, creator of Sesame Street, who was also intrigued by early television programming, which sparked his imagination and creativity.
Later, upon seeing how television could be the perfect medium to combine his love of puppeteering and learning, Henson began his career in the Washington, D.C. area’s local television. Where on his first show, Sam and Friends, his nightly five-minute show on NBC’s WRC, he would go onto national syndication and would win an Emmy in 1958. The same year another milestone was created, as this was the year Kermit the Frog would be introduced to the world.
Over the next few decades, Henson would make many appearances on variety shows and was a regular on The Today Show, The Ed Sullivan Show, and The Jimmy Dean Show. While his Muppets grew in popularity, Jim developed another career, that of filmmaking. Experimenting first in stop motion and short film, his first piece, Time Piece, was nominated for an Academy Award in 1965.
But Henson’s greatest accomplishment came by way of his award-winning children’s show, Sesame Street n 1969. Utilizing humor, situational comedy, and whimsey, Henson was able to educate children as well as broach social topics for decades to come with his myriad of lovable characters. A learning style that has adapted itself to continue to entertain, and enrich, the lives of each new generation.
Then in 1976, with the introduction of The Muppet Show, and its phenomenal success, Henson was free to expand his production companies reach to include projects including The Muppet Movie, The Great Muppet Caper, The Muppets take Manhattan, Jim Henson’s Muppet Babies, Fraggle Rock, The Storyteller, The Jim Henson Hour, Dinosaurs and groundbreaking fantasy films, including The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth.
His untimely passing in May 1990 was met with a worldwide renewal of appreciation of his imagination and artistry. And for fans such as myself, that live in Henson’s home state of Mississippi, we also currently have the opportunity to experience his work in a new and imaginative way by visiting The Jim Henson Exhibition: Imagination Unlimited beginning January 12 at the MAX museum, Mississippi’s leading arts, and entertainment experience.
The MAX, which showcases Mississippi’s arts and entertainment experience, welcomes visitors of all ages to explore the global impact of Mississippians on music, books, art, entertainment, and cuisine. The MAX honors our state’s creative legacy and inspires the next generation of creators through interactive exhibits. Visitors will also be able to explore Mississippi roots through the cultural legacy of famed Mississippians including Elvis Presley, Oprah Winfrey, B.B. King, Faith Hill, Sela Ward, Jim Henson.
Which is why, starting January 12th, you’ll not want to miss The Jim Henson Exhibition: Imagination Unlimited exhibit. Featuring characters from Sesame Street, The Muppet Show, Fraggle Rock, and The Dark Crystal, visitors will be able to interact and experience featuring notable and time-loved Henson puppetry up close and personal with their family and friends this season.
This traveling exhibition will run through May 4, 2019, The Jim Henson Exhibition: Imagination Unlimited, is a traveling exhibition organized by Museum of the Moving Image (Astoria, New York) in cooperation with The Jim Henson Company, The Muppets Studio, and Sesame Workshop, and toured worldwide by Flying Fish. The exhibition features puppets and other objects donated to the Museum by the family of Jim Henson, plus works on loan from The Jim Henson Company archives as well as from private lenders. A mobile version of MoMI’s The Jim Henson Exhibition, viewable at its home in New York City.
This exhibit seeks to engage visitors, homeschoolers, school groups, and people young at heart of all ages, that can now experience for themselves Henson’s creations. Seeing how his early work in film and television evolved into the magical worlds that captivated audiences worldwide, like me, with behind-the-scenes information that helps show fans of all ages how his magical worlds were brought to life. With revealing looks at how Henson and his crew of puppeteers, writers, and designers entertained both children and adults and will continue to do so for decades to come.
The exhibit also features a Henson’s own personal artifacts from his nearly four-decade-long career along with more than 20 original puppets, character sketches, storyboards, scripts, photographs, film edits, and television clips. All that helps to set the stage of some of the behind-the-scenes footage, iconic costumes, and interactive experiences that allow visitors to try their hand at puppeteering on camera and designing their own puppet character.
Imagination Unlimited also takes visitors through a brief look at Henson’s early life as a young man, inspiration from early drawings and sketches, and a first-hand look at his complete portfolio’s contribution the industry of the moving image. Including a walkthrough of Kermit the Frog puppet from 1978, handwritten scripts from Henson’s first television series, Sam and Friends, a clip from his Academy Award-nominated experimental film Time Piece, Sesame Street puppets including Grover, Ernie, Bert, and Count von Count, and costumes from Labyrinth. Making this exhibit one for everyone in your family!
Friends, I encourage you to visit both The Jim Henson Exhibition: Imagination Unlimited as well as The MAX, Mississippi’s arts and entertainment experience, this season with your friends, family, student groups, church groups, and youth groups. Its one exhibit you’ll not want to miss! Now I want to ask, did you also grow up a Henson fan? What’s your favorite Henson production? And do you plan to visit this exhibition this season? Leave me a comment below with all your memories and details!
Find out more about The Jim Henson Exhibition: Imagination Unlimited here.
