THE CRAFT OF BROADWAY PUPPETRY Exhibit to Open at Museum of Broadway

The Museum of Broadway has revealed its next special exhibit will celebrate the Craft of Broadway Puppetry. The exhibit, produced and presented in partnership with the American Theater for Puppetry Arts and the Broadway Legacy Foundation, will open to the public on May 21, 2026 at the world’s first-ever, permanent museum dedicated to Broadway in the heart of New York City’s Times Square.

With a spotlight on the 2023 Broadway production of Life of Pi, the exhibit will explore how puppets – from hand-and-rod puppets to string marionettes – are designed and built for the Broadway stage. In a recreated puppet-building workshop, visitors will experience each stage of the puppet design and construction process through original concept drawings, prototypes, maquettes and videos. A menagerie of animal puppets from the Broadway production and national tour of Life of Pi will be joined by unforgettable characters from several contemporary Broadway shows including Rick Lyon’s Trekkie Monster from Avenue Q, Phillip Huber’s Pudgy from Boop! The Musical, Basil Twist’s Oompa Loompa from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Michael Curry’s Olaf from Disney’s Frozen.

“The Museum of Broadway was designed to entertain, educate, and inspire the next generation of theatergoers and creators,” said Julie Boardman and Diane Nicoletti, co-founders of The Museum of Broadway. “We are incredibly excited to showcase how puppets are designed and built for Broadway and are thankful to the American producing team of Life of Pi whose generous donation helped to bring this thrilling exhibit to life for our museumgoers.”

“Our aspiration in presenting the Craft of Broadway Puppetry special exhibit is to inspire a new generation of puppet designers, artisans and builders who will bring innovations and creativity to the Broadway stage,” added Darin Johnson, founder and creative director of the American Theater for Puppetry Arts. “Presenting this exhibit at The Museum of Broadway allows us to connect the art and craft of puppetry with a wider audience.”

This summer, the American Theater for Puppetry Arts in partnership with the Broadway Legacy Foundation will present a series of virtual panel discussions featuring puppet designers and builders including Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell (Life of Pi), Michael Curry (Disney’s The Lion King and Frozen), Phillip Huber (BOOP! The Musical), Rick Lyon (Avenue Q), James Ortiz (Into the Woods and The Skin of Our Teeth) and Basil Twist (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory), as well as hands-on puppet building workshops.

The Craft of Broadway Puppetry exhibit will also extend into The Museum of Broadway’s permanent collection with expanded educational signage and concept drawings that highlight how puppets from Avenue Q, Into The Woods, and Disney’s The Lion King were conceived and built. Marking the eleventh rotating special exhibit at The Museum of Broadway, the Craft of Broadway Puppetry will follow So In Love…With Broadway which showcases the greatest Broadway love stories through costume design and is on view now through May 13, 2026.

The new puppetry exhibit joins a roster including: The Rockettes 100th Anniversary: A Century of Sisterhood, Stages of Imagination: The Iconic Broadway Designs of David Korins, Crafting Excellence: Black Storytellers of Broadway, Disney on Broadway: 30 Years of Magic, ¡VIVA! BROADWAY: Ayer, Hoy y Mañana, Moulin Rouge! The Musical: Spectacular, Spectacular, SIX: The Royal Gallery, ALL THAT JAZZ: The Legacy of Chicago The Musical, and The American Theatre As Seen by Hirschfeld.

Individual tickets to The Museum of Broadway are on-sale now through December 31, 2026. Group sales are available for booking now through June 30, 2027.