Displaying The History Of The Muppets And Its Creator Jim Henson And Founded In 1991 After He Passed Away
A lot of people grew up with Jim Henson. The Muppets and Sesame Street were constants throughout most people's childhoods, filling their living room with laughter every morning. For the people of Leland, Mississippi, they truly did grow up with Henson, who spent the first 12 years of his life in the small town.
When Henson passed away in 1991, the town opened up the Kermit the Frog Museum in his birthplace. Famous, creative beyond belief and full of imagination, the town is proud to say that Henson grew up in Leland, a town of only 3,000 people.
“Its an inspirational story,” said museum curator Stephanie Park. “If you saw some of the photographs, the puppets, the displays here... You have to have an imagination to come up with these animals. I think the fact that he was born and raised in such a small town... You don't usually associate that with famous people. It's proof that you can do what you want to do if you try hard enough.”
Henson was encouraged at a young age to “cherish the world of imagination” by his grandmother, known as Dear. She was an influence for the young boy, a painter, voracious reader and quilter. With a growing interest in puppets because of childhood television shows, Henson created his first puppet in high school.
His first puppet, of course, was Kermit, which he had made out of his mother's winter coat. Kermit has become one of the most famous puppets in the world, a well recognized character by people young and old. And Park believes the inspiration for Kermit is right in Leland.
“This is my opinion, but down here we have little tree frogs, probably two inches long. They're Kermit green,” she laughed. “We have them all over the place. I feel they are what inspired Kermit the Frog.”
The Kermit the Frog Museum is small, only 1,200 square feet. Inside the museum is a display of the opening scene of the original Muppet Movie, with Kermit sitting on a rock in a swamp with his infamous banjo, a gift from Henson's family. There is also a pictorial history of Henson and a display of prototypes from the character and songs of the Cloud Forest, a movie Henson produced in 1989.
“They're handmade by Henson and one of his daughters,” said Park. “They're unbelievably detailed. It's really neat. We also have a giant Kermit, which people take photos with. There is also a memorabilia room, all donate from people who have read about the museum throughout the years.”
Park's favorite part of the museum is the giant Kermit, which was made by Applause (no longer in business). Why? It's just “so darn cute.” The 5' 1” Kermit is sitting in a chair, waiting to pose with museum visitors, who come from all over the world.
In fact, most people who visit the museum come from out of the country. Most of them come from Europe or Australia. This may seem a little odd, until visitors check out the timeline and realize The Muppets was first produced in Europe. The Muppets – introduced in America in 1976 - continued to grow, reaching 235 million viewers in more than 100 countries and winning three Emmys in its five-year run.
While the museum has many interesting items, stories and photographs, the most popular exhibit in the museum is the memorabilia display. While Muppets and Sesame Street still entertain children to this day, most of the people that visit the museum are adults who grew up with The Muppets.
A trip to the memorabilia room allows them to revisit their own childhoods, remembering the lunch boxes, posters, toys and other retro items they had themselves.
There are not many museums that can so easily bring generations together, that can make both kids and senior citizens giggle and smile. It's one of the reasons the Kermit the Frog Museum continues to be a popular place to spend some time in, a positive trip back in time, a pocket of happiness in a world that's forever stressful and negative.
“It's so exciting to see both kids and adults excited for the same character. Kermit just speaks to everyone,” said Park. “I've never heard of anybody who didn't like Kermit, except some guy from National Geographic who came in and said he'd never liked anyone from the Muppets... It's Kermit's personality. It's how cute he is. He's never negative. He's just a positive personality that people like.”
And to think such a household name came from such a small town. Winning Emmys, Grammys and a Peabody Award for his various work, Park and the citizens of Leland are proud to call him one of their own.
“It's such a small town. That's what fascinates a lot of people about Henson,” she said. “It's small. It has three stoplights... No... Four. That's it. And it's grown since he lived here, I'm sure. It's a small town in the Mississippi delta. You wouldn't think a sensationally smart, creative person would come from here. But he did.”
Olivia Richman
A graduate of East Connecticut State University in Journalism, Olivia has written for Stonebridge Press & Antiques Marketplace among others. She enjoys writing, running and video games.
Make Sure To Stay At:
Lake Chicot State Park, a peaceful setting for fishing, boating, and bird watching. Located in the Mississippi Flyway, this park offers some of the best year-round birding opportunities in Arkansas.