Mississippi

The Birthplace of Kermit The Frog Museum is a museum in Jim Henson’s boyhood town of Leland, Mississippi, just down the street from the Rainbow Connection Bridge. Henson was the mastermind behind The Muppets franchise (now owned by The Walt Disney Company) as well as Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock, and, of course, Muppet*Vision 3D. The permanent exhibition opened in August, 1991 and is presented by the city in cooperation with the Jim Henson Legacy and with the support of The Jim Henson Family. The museum is located over Deer Creek, where Jim would play while living in the area during his formative years, from 1936 to 1948. The exhibition is named after his most famous creation but is devoted to all aspects of Henson’s career, featuring family photographs lining the walls, an original Kermit on display, puppets and props from The Song of the Cloud Forest, and an impressive display of vintage Muppet merchandise. The building also serves as Leland’s tourist welcome center and host of the annual FrogFest each Fall. The museum is free to visit, with a $1 suggested donation. Address: 415 S Deer Creek Dr E, Leland, MS 38756 Visitor Information: Jim Henson’s Delta Boyhood Exhibit

This bridge over Deer Creek along Old Highway 61 was named after the infamous song from 1979 film, The Muppet Movie in honor of Jim Henson who was the mastermind behind The Muppets franchise (now owned by The Walt Disney Company). The bridge is located just down the road from The Birthplace of Kermit The Frog Museum in Henson’s boyhood town of Leland, Mississippi, which hosts an annual event devoted to Kermit each Fall called FrogFest. Address: Old Hwy 61, Leland, MS 38756 Visitor Information: Leland Chamber of Commerce

The Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Experience is a 58,500 square-foot museum which opened in 2018 with a devotion to showcasing the state of Mississippi’s contributions to the fields of arts and entertainment of all kinds. The museum’s Hall of Fame celebrates many famous Mississippians with Disney connections including Disney Legend Jim Henson (creator of The Muppets), Disney Legend Oprah Winfrey (voice of Tiana’s mother Eudora and portrayed Mrs. Which), and James Earl Jones (voice of Darth Vader and Mufasa) among others. The museum’s Theater exhibit has an original Mahna Mahna and pair of Snowths on display. These particular puppets were built in 1978 for use on The Muppet Show. You can also find a copy of It’s Not Easy Being Green: And Other Things to Consider which was signed by and donated to the museum by Jim’s daughter and editor of the book, Cheryl Henson. Another item of note on display is a full-scale replica of Darth Vader’s mask. Although this is not screen used, it was created by eFX Company using the original molds created by Rick Baker for Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope. In early 2019, this museum hosted the Jim Henson Exhibition: Imagination Unlimited. You […]