The History Center is tucked into the Tompkins County Center for History and Art, just behind the atrium. But for the next few months, we'll be spilling out into the atrium with a larger-than-life display featuring puppets from Ithaca and beyond. They're suspended from the ceiling, delicately arranged in transparent cases, and posed for the spotlight.

A parade puppet of Mother Earth hangs in one corner of the Atrium. Her arms are outstretched and her hair is immaculate.  In the central display case, there are marionettes complete with moving lips and dancing shoes. In front of the window is a selection of felted puppets from Lilypad Puppet Theater, Ithaca's local puppet arts non-profit. These are just some of the whimsical and intense pieces filling the space. 

Photo shared by Becky Dewitt, Volunteer Docent

The exhibit will be on display throughout May, 2025, and you can visit whenever the History Center in Tompkins County is open, Wednesday-Saturday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. We'll be closed throughout the month of January to reset the primary exhibit hall. 

This exhibit was curated by TJ Jacobs, puppeteer, artist, and founder of Basically Good Puppet Theater. 

This exhibit is made possible in part by a grant from the Cook/Marks Fund. The grant also extended support for the creation of a puppet collection at The History Center in Tompkins County, significantly contributing to the preservation of our local and regional puppet history in Central New York.

So often, what happens to be preserved is a happenstance of financial resources, awareness, and luck. Visionaries like puppeteer and collector Alan Cook and philanthropist Jacqueline Marks recognize the absence of funding for important work like preservation, cataloguing, and conservation; thanks to their generosity, through a donor-advised fund at the California Community Foundation we are able to bring members of our community together to create and then steward a legacy of Tompkins County puppetry for future generations. It is our sincere hope that long into the future, our community can be delighted and thrilled by the incredible local legacy of puppetry. 

Cook/Marks Fund Facebook Link: https://www.facebook.com/CookMarksFund/

Written by BrierMae Ossont, Community Engagement Manager

Questions? Contact community@thehistorycenter.net