Located on the campus of the University of Connecticut, the Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry (BIMP) promotes public awareness of puppetry as an art form.
Named after Frank Ballard, who founded the school’s Puppet Arts program, the museum boasts over 2,500 puppets from all over the world, as well as an extensive archive of books, manuscripts, drawings, and photographs that cover the history of puppetry. BIMP’s research collection also includes the Puppeteers of America’s Audio-Visual Collection, the largest compilation of videotapes, films, and other media about puppetry in the United States.
The 4,000+ square-foot location also features performance spaces that offer a variety of puppet-related events for all ages. Three galleries offer a rotating series of exhibitions and workshops. Museum tours, artists’ forums, and film showings round out the programming.
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