32 THE QUEENS COURIER • KIDS & EDUCATION • JULY 27, 2017 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
kids & education
Muppets join ribbon-cutting for
permanent Jim Henson exhibit in Astoria
BY ANGELA MATUA
amatua@qns.com / @AngelaMatua
Aft er much anticipation, the “Jim
Henson Exhibition” fi nally opened at the
Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria
on July 22.
Mayor Bill de Blasio, fi rst lady Chirlane
McCray, Councilman Jimmy Van
Bramer and more celebrated the opening
on July 21 with some help from Fozzie
Bear, Abby Cadabby and Red Fraggle.
Museum staff have been working for four
years to make the exhibition a reality and
in April created a GoFundMe page to
fund the restoration of the puppets that
are on display.
he exhibition is dedicated to celebrating
the work and creative process of Jim
Henson, the creator of “Th e Muppet
Show.” Attendees will be treated to more
than 300 objects on display including
puppets such as Kermit the Frog, Miss
Piggy, Rowlf, Th e Swedish Chef, Statler,
Waldorf, Big Bird, Elmo and Cantus
Fraggle.
Sketches, storyboards and scripts
donated by the Jim Henson Foundation
and on loan from Th e Jim Henson
Company Archives are also on display.
“Th e Jim Henson Exhibition is a beautiful
homage to an artist whose infl uence
on our children’s education and popular
culture is immeasurable,” McCray said.
“With warmth, a little bit of silliness, and
a whole lot of love, Henson’s characters
will continue to teach and bridge cultural
and education gaps for generations to
come.”
Th e exhibition received $1.6 million
from the city budget, $2 million
from Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer
and $500,000 from Queens Borough
President Melinda Katz.
Henson, who was born in Mississippi
in 1936, joined “Sesame Street” in the
1960s where he helped create characters
like Kermit the Frog, Rowlf the
Dog and Ernie. He also created puppets
for “Fraggle Rock,” and movies “Th e
Dark Crystal” and “Labyrinth, which he
co-wrote and co-directed.
He died suddenly in 1990 when he was
53 aft er suff ering from toxic shock syndrome.
Henson was inducted into the
Hollywood Walk of Fame one year later
and also named a Disney Legend in 2011.
“From the Muppet Show to Sesame
Street, the work of Jim Henson touched
the hearts of millions across our globe,”
Van Bramer said. “Th e volume and originality
of Jim Henson’s work is truly
astounding, and I’m proud to have
secured $2 million in funding for a permanent
exhibit at the Museum of the
Moving Image so that hundreds of his
personal artifacts including puppets, storyboards
and sketches can fi nd a permanent
home in western Queens. For generations
to come, this exhibit will tell
the story of his work and
inspire all who visit.”
The exhibit officially
opened on July 22 at 36-01
35th Ave. Museum admission
is $15 for adults, $11 for
seniors and students, $7 for
children 7 to 11 years old and
free for children 3 years old and
younger.
Photos by Victoria Schneps
Herb Schlosser and Claire
Shulman
Carl Goodman, Hal Rosenbluth and Claire Shulman Mr. & Mrs. Hal Rosenbluth