Jim Henson Company Studio Tour - Puppets, Muppets, and More - Hollywood

Context & Trivia

Among the original puppets on display during the tour are Dino from The Flintstones, creatures from Where the Wild Things Are, characters from Turkey Hollow, and puppets from the science-fiction series Brats of the Lost Nebula. The guide pauses to explain 'toasting': the process by which polyurethane foam in classic puppets oxidizes over the years, crumbling into a burnt-toast texture that makes long-term preservation a persistent technical challenge.

The BOB building (Big Old Building), commissioned by Jim Henson shortly before his death, houses a mural depicting every character he worked on during his lifetime —Muppets, Sesame Street characters, and a blue character from his Saturday Night Live sketches— deliberately excluding figures created after his passing, such as Elmo or Pepe. The lot also hosts the Henson Soundstage, Henson Recording Studios, and the adult puppet improv show Puppet Up!