Two hulking Walrus and Carpenter body suits. Kermit the Frog, in lotus position, at home in his greenness. A Century of American Puppetry , which opened to the public Sunday and runs through Dec. 31. For some imaginative children, a walk through the dimly lit galleries might require holding tightly on to a parent's hand for comfort. There is an other worldliness to this exhibit, where ornately costumed, lifelike marionettes appear to be hanging in suspension, their souls hovering close to faint spotlights.
Children can play with the marionettes on three wooden stages.
They can also sit and watch clips from shadow puppeteer Larry Reed's dramatic play, based on Coleridge's Xanadu , which is projected along the top of one wall. Be sure to save some time at the end of the visit for a trip to the DIA's gift shop, stocked with a variety of plush, hand, finger and marionette puppets. Now your mini-puppet masters can continue the shows at home. Sat. and Sun. Exhibit runs through Dec. 31.