ASTORIA, NY.- Museum of the Moving Image, home of The Jim Henson Exhibition, will commemorate Jim Henson’s birthday (September 24, 1936) with a special four-day celebration, September 24–27, in honor of what would have been his 90th year. This fun, long weekend for fans of all ages features a slew of special guests, screenings, puppet workshops, a collectible swap meet, live music in the courtyard, and more!

Anchoring the MoMI weekend is The Jim Henson Exhibition, a dynamic experience exploring Henson’s groundbreaking work for film and television and his transformative impact on culture, where the public can come face-to-face with 50 beloved characters from the worlds of The Muppet Show, the Muppet movies, Fraggle Rock, Sesame Street, and other productions released during Henson’s lifetime. The Museum will offer daily guided tours over the weekend (advance tickets available).

Among the highlights of the Jim Henson Birthday Celebration are numerous free fan events ranging from a Puppet Prom featuring a DJ and dancing with mask-making activities; showcases of fan-created art inspired by Jim Henson, plus live artist demonstrations; a collectibles “Swa(m)p Meet” featuring guest vendors; a costume contest; live music in the courtyard; and more.

Among the special guests will be puppeteer and performer Stacey Gordon (Julia on Sesame Street), who will lead the “Puppet Tea Party,” an interactive workshop for all ages; Kate Micucci (Duck Tales, Scooby-Doo, Garfunkel and Oates, The Big Bang Theory) as celebrity judge of the costume contest; Henson performers Martin P. Robinson, Ryan Dillon, Stephanie D’Abruzzo, John Tartaglia, and Peter Linz on the “Inspired by Jim Henson” panel; Fred Buchholz, Jason Weber, Rollie Krewson, Bonnie Erickson, and Lara MacLean on the "Inside Jim Henson’s Creature Shop” panel, a live podcast taping with the long-running fan site ToughPigs; and an interactive song circle headed up by renowned Community Song Leader Dodie Whitaker.





Other programs include a 60th anniversary screening of Time Piece, Jim Henson’s Oscar-nominated 1976 short, and presentation by Karen Falk, Archives Director of The Jim Henson Company; The American Banjo Museum presents a Henson Sing-Along with Lucas Ross; The Muppet Show: 50 Greatest Moments, hosted by Craig Shemin, President of The Jim Henson Legacy and guest programmer of the Museum’s ongoing Jim Henson’s World screening series; and more.

On Friday and Saturday, September 25 and 26, Heather Henson and friends will offer a Sing-Along & Stroll-Along tour through Manhattan, leading to the Museum in Queens (very limited tickets are available).

Tickets and reservations for Celebrating Jim Henson’s Birthday 2026 are available online at movingimage.org/series/jim-hensons-birthday-2026. Additional programs will be added as they are confirmed.

In celebration of this milestone year, MoMI and The Jim Henson Company have collaborated on an exclusive, limited-edition merchandise collection, available both in-store and online at the launch of the celebration. The collection will feature a range of special items available in limited quantities.