Jim Henson's Fantastic World

Jim Henson's Fantastic World was a large traveling exhibit that opened in September 2007. The exhibit gave a firsthand look into the creations, imagination and works of Jim Henson.
The exhibit was organized by the Jim Henson Legacy and the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, with cooperation from the Henson family, the Jim Henson Company, the Muppets Holding Company and Sesame Workshop.
The 3,000 square-foot exhibit visited thirteen locations across the United States for twelve-week showing periods, running from September 2007 to March 2012.
For the exhibit's stop at the Experience Music Project/Science Fiction Museum in Seattle, the puppet band Mudgarden Experience was created by local artist Annett Mateo, for a hands-on experience with Muppet-style puppets of Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, Carrie Akre and Keith Moon. Visitors could rock out to Me First and the Gimme Gimmes' version of "Rainbow Connection", while a Master Replicas Gonzo poser "operated" the camera set up on top of a "1234 Seattle" stoop.Akimbo Puppets Mudgarden Experience puppet band commission information
For the exhibit's stop at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, Miss Piggy in her wedding gown from The Muppets Take Manhattan was added as a special item. Jane Henson appeared on February 24, 2011 in Peoria, Illinois for a special presentation on the early years of Jim Henson. Michael Bloomberg lent his Muppet likeness for display during the exhibit's time at The Museum of the Moving Image.
==Exhibit Features==
* Several of Henson's Muppets and Creatures (including characters from The Muppet Show, Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock, and other productions)
* Over 100 framed works of art (include paintings, sketches, cartoons, and storyboards)
* A large collection of rare photographs
* Unique production documents
* Additional artifacts and film props
* Over 30 minutes of special video presentations
* An illustrated timeline of Henson's life and career
File:fantastic world kermit 1.jpg
File:fantastic world kermit 1974.jpg
File:fantastic world mahna mahna museum.jpg
File:fantastic world cabinet.jpg
Image:LittleRock02-2007.jpg|Sir Linit
Image:LittleRock03-2007.jpg|Wilkins and Wontkins 
Image:LittleRock04-2007.jpg|King Rupert and Featherstone 
Image:FantasticWorld.jpg|Close-up
Image:LittleRock05-2007.jpg|Mahna Mahna and Snowths 
Image:LittleRock06-2007.jpg|Video display 
Image:LittleRock07-2007.jpg|Bert and Ernie 
Image:LittleRock08-2007.jpg|The Dark Crystal props 
Image:LittleRock09-2007.jpg|Gobo and Cantus 
Image:JimHensonsFantasticWorld-Rowlf01-(Seattle2009).jpg|Rowlf 
Image:JimHensonsFantasticWorld-Rowlf02-(Seattle2009).jpg|Close-up
Image:JimHensonsFantasticWorld-MRGonzo-(Seattle2009).jpg|Master Replicas Gonzo 
Image:JimHensonsFantasticWorld-1234Seattle-(Seattle2009).jpg|The "1234 Seattle" stoop with Gonzo
Image:JimHensonsFantasticWorld-MudgardenExperience-(Seattle2009).jpg|Mudgarden Experience in Seattle
Image:JimHensonsFantasticWorld-JimiHendrix-(Seattle2009).jpg|"Jimi Hendrix" in Seattle
Image:JimHensonsFantasticWorld-KurtCobain-(Seattle2009).jpg|"Kurt Cobain" in Seattle
Image:JimHensonsFantasticWorld-Cobain&Hendrix-(Seattle2009).jpg|"Cobain" & "Hendrix" in Seattle
Image:MuseumOfScience+Industry-Jim-Henson'sFantasticWorld-W&W(2010).jpg|Wilkins and Wontkins 
Image:MuseumOfScience+Industry-Jim-Henson'sFantasticWorld-E&B(2010).jpg|Bert and Ernie 
Image:MuseumOfScience+Industry-Jim-Henson'sFantasticWorld-KTF(2010).jpg|Kermit 
Image:MuseumOfScience+Industry-Jim-Henson'sFantasticWorld-MP(2010).jpg|Miss Piggy 
Image:JimHenson'sFantasticWorld-WeddingPiggy-(2010).jpg|Miss Piggy 
Image:IMG_7507.JPG|Concept sketches by Jim Henson for Oscar the Grouch
Image:IMG_7508.JPG|Gobo Fraggle and Cantus the Minstrel
Image:IMG_7529.JPG|Jim Henson's Fantastic World Program book - MOMI
Image:IMG_7516.JPG|Jim Henson's Time Piece at Museum of the Moving Image, Astoria NY
Image:Bloombmuppet.jpg|The Michael Bloomberg Muppet on display at The Museum of the Moving Image.
Image:LittleRock01-2007.jpg|The exhibit at the Arkansas Arts Center in Little Rock, AR
==Behind the scenes==
Image:Bonnieericksonberternie.jpg|Bonnie Erickson supervising Bert and Ernie.
Image:Danielfieldingkermit.jpg|Daniel Fielding mounting Kermit.
Image:Howard clemenko rowlf.jpg|Howard Clemenko working on the mounting of Rowlf's ear.
Image:Rowlfearmounting.jpg|Close-up of ear mounting.
Image:Tinalynchcantus.jpg|Tina Lynch working on Cantus the Minstrel.
Image:JimHensonsFantasticWorld-DSC06127.jpg|"Mahna Mahna"...
Image:Fantasticworld-newyork-piggy.jpg|Preparing Miss Piggy
Image:Rhodacosme-piggy-Bonnieericson-newyork.jpg|Bonnie Erickson helps setup Miss Piggy
Image:Fantasticworld-newyork-kermit.jpg|Josette Cole Preparing Kermit
Image:Fantasticworld-newyork-kermit2.jpg|Preparing Kermit
==Tour Schedule==
*09/07/07 - 11/25/07: Arkansas Arts Center (Little Rock, AR)
*12/15/07 - 03/09/08: Arizona Museum for Youth (Mesa, AZ)
*03/29/08 - 06/22/08: Louisiana Art and Science Museum (Baton Rouge, LA)
*07/12/08 - 10/05/08: International Gallery, Smithsonian Institution (Washington, DC)
*10/25/08 - 01/18/09: Atlanta History Center (Atlanta, GA)
*02/07/09 - 05/03/09: Orange County Regional History Center (Orlando, FL)
*05/23/09 - 08/16/09: Experience Music Project/Science Fiction Museum (Seattle, WA)
*09/05/09 - 11/29/09: James A. Michener Art Museum (Doylestown, PA)
*12/19/09 - 03/14/10: Mississippi Museum of Art (Jackson, MS)
*04/03/10 - 06/27/10: National Heritage Museum (Lexington, MA)
*07/17/10 - 10/10/10: Fresno Metropolitan Museum (Fresno, CA)
:Canceled because the museum closed its doors on January 5, 2010
*10/30/10 - 01/23/11: Museum of Science and Industry (Chicago, IL)
*02/12/11 - 05/01/11: Lakeview Museum of Art and Science (Peoria, IL)
*07/16/11 - 03/04/12: Museum of the Moving Image (Astoria, Queens, NY)
According to Bonnie Erickson, executive director of the Jim Henson Legacy, archivist Karen Falk was insistent that the newly opened New York museum be the final stop on the show's tour. According to Erickson, "We had not been in the New York area, and we had been all over the country, and we've enjoyed being at every one of the museums, they've all been terrific to us, but it was something special to come home, so we're really happy to be here."http://www.artinfo.com/news/story/38101/the-great-muppet-museum-caper-a-qa-with-miss-piggys-designer-on-the-new-survey-of-jim-hensons-art/?utm_source=nlda&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter
==Sources==
==External links==
* Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service
* Exhibit audio tour with Karen Falk, Dave Goelz, Gonzo, Craig Shemin and Cheryl Henson
* Video Preview of Florida Exhibit
* Experience Music Project | Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame
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Category:Exhibits
Category:Museum