Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry

The Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry is an amazing little museum that is packed with welcoming displays. The staff is incredibly knowledgeable, knows how to honor space to learn, and connect very well with visitors. It's a "just right" space that is filled with wonder and opportunities to grow and learn.

A wonderful little museum attached to the Barnes and Noble book store in Storrs Center. The exhibition of puppets of all kinds from around the world and many different eras are fun and fascinating whether you consider them as objects of Fine or Folk Art. The space is clean and well-lit, and the staff is friendly and knowledgeable, but not intrusive. Be sure to check out the back corridor as it has interesting puppetry themed photography. Genuinely a little gem of a museum and performance space (there is a small puppetry theater at the back of the main exhibition hall). Small yes, but worth seeing, especially if you are going to eat in Downtown Storrs. Also there was plenty of free parking within a couple of block radius of the museum.

I love visiting the Ballard Institute Museum! It is a small Museum connected to the UCONN Bookstore which makes it very convenient for both.

A visit here is free and fun though they welcome donations. I don't know how often they change the exhibits because I only come two or three times a year but they've always had new exhibits when I have come.

It is very informative with each display showing who made the puppets, where they've been shown (tv shows, etc.), what kind of puppet they are, and so forth.

Some are marionettes, rod puppets, sock puppets, paper mache, etc.

Highly imaginative and inventive, fun to learn about whether you are a youngster or an adult.

So, if you ever get up to the UCONN area, stop in!

Small museum with awesome puppets from my favorite childhood shows!

A magical look at the creations that live thanks to the puppeteers that bring them to life. Not large, but delightful. I grew up across the street from Frank Ballard's workshop, and his creations were beyond fabulous. Don't miss this museum in Storrs!