Grand Opening of
Take Care: Puppets & Their Collectors
at the Ballard Institute & Museum of Puppetry
The Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry at the University of Connecticut will present the grand opening of its new exhibition Taking Care: Puppets and Their Collectors on Thursday, February 15, with refreshments served at 4:30 p.m. and an in-person exhibition tour at 5 p.m. by curator Dr. Jungmin Song and Ballard Institute director Dr. John Bell, which will also be streamed on Ballard Institute’s Facebook Live. This exhibition opening also kicks off celebrations for the tenth anniversary of the Ballard Institute’s Downtown Storrs location. All events will take place at the Ballard Institute, located at 1 Royce Circle in Downtown Storrs.
Since its founding in 1989, the Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry’s collections have grown thanks to the generous contributions from many puppet collectors. Taking Care: Puppets and Their Collectors, curated by Dr. Jungmin Song, will showcase some of the highlights of the collections including 1930s marionettes, Sicilian pupi, Chinese shadow figures, African rod puppets, overhead projector innovations, and Frank Ballard musicals, along with backstories explaining how this global array of puppets came to the Ballard Institute. Taking Care will explore puppet collecting as a vital cultural activity, delving into the various reasons donors dedicate themselves to the preservation of puppetry’s heritage. The exhibition will be on display through June 16, 2024.
The museum will be closed through February 15 while the new exhibition is installed. The Ballard Institute will be open Wednesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. There is no set admission, but visitors are encouraged to pay as they wish.
Keep the Conversation going
Grab a bite to eat in Downtown Storrs after the opening to discuss what you’ve learned with your friends! With over twenty eateries serving up cuisines from around the globe - all within a five-minute walk of the Ballard Institute - there’s something for every taste & budget! See what’s cooking here.
Pictured: Nautical Bowls
PARKING: Parking is available in the Downtown Storrs Parking Garage (entrance at 33 Royce Circle), which is free for your first 2 hours, and just $1/hour thereafter. The garage is about a 2-minute walk to the Ballard Institute.