When humans no longer rule the world and the new dominant species digs up our old artifacts, I wouldn’t blame them if they believed we worshipped Darth Vader and Wonder Woman. Art is our legacy. It demonstrates what complex and creative thinkers we are It also shows what sentimental pack rats we were. Our museums are stocked with examples of humanity’s accomplishments. Some of my favorite pieces to seek out in these shrines are movie memorabilia. Here are my experiences visiting movie memorabilia.
Muppet memorabilia
Of all of the movie memorabilia I’ve seen, the pieces that have had the most impact on me were the Muppets. Born in the 80’s, I was raised on Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock, and The Muppet Movie. The Muppets are just as entertaining to adults as they are children. So, it’s one of those obsessions I have never outgrown.
The Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. always keeps some Muppet memorabilia on display. I’ve been to the Smithsonian twice. Each time, their collection of movie and TV props and costumes were different.
It was during the first trip that I got to meet my idol, Kermit the Frog. I couldn’t touch him, but up close and through the clear glass, I could see the texture of the felt on his face, measure up against his small frame, and stare into those ping pong eyeballs that had taught me how to sing the ABC’s and The Rainbow Connection.
The second time I went, I got to see The Count from Sesame Street sporting his signature amused grin. I love how even though there is no performer operating him, he is posed in such a way that he comes to life. You can see the care that was put into giving these characters their distinct personalities. From the widow’s peak hairline to the detail in his cape, The Count is the distinguished gentleman that you’d expect him to be.
The Museum of the Moving Image
The epitome of Muppet memorabilia, though, has to be The Museum of the Moving Image in Queens. This site dedicates an entire wing to the work of Muppet founder and performer Jim Henson. Sam and Friends, The Muppet Show, Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock, The Dark Crystal, and Labyrinth are all represented.
There are also more personal items on display. These include scripts from various shows, behind-the-scenes equipment, and monitors playing bits and interviews where you get to see the performers in action.
Mostly, though, I just wanted to see and study these iconic characters including The Swedish Chef, Uncle Matt, and Miss Piggy in her wedding gown from The Muppets Take Manhattan. If you’d like to read more about my trip to New York City, check out my article, Kermit’s Adventures in New York City.
At the end of the exhibit, you can sit in an Egyptian-themed theater and watch episodes of The Muppet Show. I could have stayed there all day long.
If you’d like to learn more about one of Jim Henson’s earliest gigs as a Muppet performer landing a commercial spot for Wilkins coffee, check out my article, The Muppets and Wilkins Coffee Commercials: The Very First Vines.
TV shows
Las Vegas
Most of it is music-themed for obvious reasons. But while touring Caesars Palace, I came across some costumes from various TV shows. I snapped this picture of a tux worn on Dancing with the Stars. I’ve probably never seen a full episode of the show. It was just the surprise of running into it that inspired me to capture it. And just like running into a celebrity on the street, anything having to do with entertainment tends to turn heads.
Costumes
Costumes are usually a big feature of any movie memorabilia collection. The costume designer usually makes several copies of each piece. The actors and filmmakers have already taken home whatever souvenirs they wanted. So, donating the piece to a museum is an easy way to get rid of it.
The Smithsonian is always circulating various costume pieces from movies. I’ve seen Sandra Bullock’s space suit from Gravity, Dorothy’s ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz, and Michelangelo from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. They’re usually well-preserved and placed on a mannequin so that you can see them as they were worn.
These pieces are also usually behind glass. This creates some distance between you and the piece. But you’re still able to catch details that don’t show up well onscreen.
For instance, I never noticed that The Goblin King’s costume from Labyrinth has bones protruding from beneath the fabric on his chest and stomach. It really compliments the character’s bird-like nature. Yet, it doesn’t pop on film.
You also get a better sense of the size of the actors or creatures that can sometimes appear larger or smaller on screen. Costumes can be awesome when you’re a fan of the story that they come from. But when you haven’t seen or liked a particular movie, it’s funny how the costume becomes just another piece of fabric.
Wigs and masks
Famous wigs and masks are also fun to run into. Sometimes they even keep the actors’ face molds, preserving their face as they looked in that particular movie. It’s familiar, but it’s also kind of eerie.
It can be surprising to see the actual size and color of some of these pieces. For instance, I came across The Bride of Frankenstein’s wig in the Museum of the Moving Image. I was surprised to see that most of the hair was a reddish-brown, not the coal black that you see in Halloween costumes or the movie poster. It definitely makes you pay more attention to these particular pieces on screen the next time you watch the movie. You may even see it in a whole new way.
There are so many famous movie locations scattered throughout the world. So, it’s especially amusing when you run into memorabilia at these locations. They’re the X that marks the spot.
It can be jarring to see a movie location as it resides in the real world and not just within a small frame of a movie camera. The surroundings, angle, and size may not be what you expected.
For instance the Ghostbusters firehouse in Tribecca is a narrow building that sits on the corner of a street. It’s pretty unremarkable besides the Ghostbusters logos painted on the sidewalk in front of it. The front doors are just big enough for one fire engine, or a significantly smaller Ecto-1, to squeeze into.
Rocky in Philadelphia
The Phildadelphia Museum of Art from the movie Rocky is another popular tourist attraction. Once you climb the iconic steps, you can literally stand on his shoe prints in the concrete.
And when you look out at the busy traffic street below, it does feel like you’re looking at a clip from the movie. But there’s no music. Only sound. The cars are rushing by at hurried speeds. Flags flap in the wind. People mill about, running up those steps as fast as they can and taking photos at the top with their arms raised in triumph.
Movie vehicles
Cars like Doc Brown’s Delorean and The Batmobile are as famous as the characters who drive them. There are a lot of replicas out there that people build and are as convincing as anything that you’ve seen on film. But there is an added excitement of seeing screen-used vehicles.
I’ve never seen any actual movie-used cars yet. But I have seen one of the bikes used in the movie Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure. Bicycle Heaven in Pittsburgh houses several iconic bikes, but the Pee Wee Bike is its main piece.
The bike itself is arguably the real star of the movie with its tricked out features and sleek design. It’s also the driving force behind the film, making it the holy grail of bicycles.
As with most props, you’re not allowed to touch it. But you can get close enough to see why Pee Wee was willing to travel across the country to find it. The apple red paint, shiny plaque, and teeth-baring lion head all live up to the hype.
Replicas
When I visited New York City, one stop on our list of things to do in Manhattan was to check out FAO Schwarz. We wanted to see if they still had the walk on piano from the movie Big. They did.
The store is very hands-on like you see in the movie. There are display tables with employees demonstrating how to use the latest toys. Shoppers bounce from one display to the next, testing each toy like a serious researcher.
The piano is one of these displays. It’s on the second floor of the store. The piano is roped off so that a line can form. The line is monitored by an employee who allows one shopper at a time to take a turn on it. When I visited the piano, there was no line. In fact, an employee was playing Heart and Soul like a pied piper, trying to lure customers over to it.
One unexpected surprise was seeing a Zoltar machine near the piano display. I overheard that it wasn’t the actual machine from the movie. In fact, I had seen a Zoltar machine before in Gettysburg. So, they’re around. And even though I’ve never seen the actual machine from the movie, in this case, it didn’t really matter. They all give off the same creepy yet excited energy.
Visiting FAO Schwartz wasn’t as iconic as I hoped it would be. Maybe it was the fact that the store was redesigned, the toys were modern, and I was no longer a kid. But it’s essentially a business, not a movie location.
Props and concept art
While maybe not the most showy pieces in a collection, sometimes it’s the quirky, unexpected finds that catch your attention. Concept art, unused props, or copies of scripts are really interesting pieces. There might be on set photos taken by actors, harnesses donated by stunt actors, or remnants of a set that was dismantled after shooting wrapped. These are the pieces that you know somebody kept because their experience on set was important enough that they needed a souvenir to take home.
As the result of their sentimental action, we as fans get a peek behind-the-scenes of the on-screen world that we have grown to love. The deeper the obsession runs, the more even the most mundane artifacts are appreciated as evidence that a major undertaking led to the final product and that all of those efforts left behind a lasting impression.
What movie memorabilia have you seen with your own two eyes?
What pieces have left the biggest impression on you or surprised you the most?
Leave your answers in the comments below!
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How cool is all of this! I love that memorabilia lives on – hilarious to think that, in fact, future life forms will wonder indeed about our “Gods”…Kermit! I have been able to see movies on the FOX lot in west Los Angeles, and there is a lineup of Oscar statues for their films of the 50’s and 60’s…behind glass and nicely lit for maximum effect!
That’s so awesome. I’m dying to go out west and see what they have on display.
Great post for a film buff! I LOVE concept art! Seeing that design journey is always fascinating to me.
Interesting post! I’ve never really thought about going to a memorabilia museum but you make a great point about cultural artefacts from these spaces acting as time capsules for future generations to come. They will no doubt hold the same, significant relevance in understanding the people of our time.
What a cool post, I love looking at memorabilia too! I find it interesting and this one that you went to looks awesome!
This is so cool! I absolutely need to visit all of these places to see all of these with my own eyes now!
It is one of my quirky bucket list wishes to see memorabilia from shows I loved growing up. I’d especially like to see Star Trek, Power Rangers and Carmen Sandiego. Thanks for sharing the muppet images. It brought back fond memories.
This is so cool! Dorothy’s ruby slippers look incredible!