Museum of Science and Industry

Photos

1. Sketch of Bert and Ernie
2. Bert and Ernie [Photo by John E. Barrett. TM & © 2007 Sesame Workshop. All Rights Reserved.]
3. Sketch of Mahna Mahna [Drawing courtesy of The Jim Henson Company. © The Muppets Studio, LLC.]
4. Snowths & Mahna Mahna [Photo by John E. Barrett. © The Muppets Studio, LLC.]
5. Cantus & Gobo of "Fraggle Rock" [Photo by John E. Barrett. © 2007 The Jim Henson Company. All Rights Reserved.]
6. Sketch of Nutty Bird, a creation for Royal Crown Cola commercials. [©2007 The Jim Henson Company. All Rights Reserved.]
7. Featherstone & King Goshposh, from "Tales of the Tinkerdee" [Photo by John E. Barrett. © The Muppets Studio, LLC.]

Artifacts in the Exhibit

I’ve always been most intrigued by what can be done with the visual image. I feel that is what is strongest about the work I do... the visual image.
—Jim Henson

From the very beginning, Jim Henson expressed his ideas with incredible bursts of invention, through a variety of visual forms, clever dialogue, songs, comic bits and animation. His work reveals a sophisticated thought process, evident in the decades-long metamorphosis of a small group of captivating characters from simple doodles, to cartoons, to puppets, to films.

Experience Henson's process of "visual thinking" as captured in more than 130 original artworks: drawings, cartoons, storyboards, as well as television and movie props, photographs of Henson and his collaborators at work, original video productions and experimental films from his early career.

Also showcased in the exhibit are puppets representing a range of Henson's creativity: from Bert and Ernie to Kermit to Sir Linit to Mahna Mahna (doo do dee do do). Special to this Chicago exhibition is an appearance by Miss Piggy from The Muppets Take Manhattan.

Jim Henson's Fantastic World is your chance to see these creations first-hand. Henson's internationally beloved characters are shown in all stages of creation, from the first glimmers in freehand sketches to meeting characters you'll meet in the flesh… well, foam.

Videos in the Exhibit