The Muppets Head To The Smithsonian Institution As Part Of "Jim Henson's Fantastic World"

Washington, D.C. (CNS) - Bert and Ernie and Kermit are all heading home to the city that helped give birth to the "Sesame Street" gang. The Muppets, who were born in the capitol city thanks to creator Jim Henson, will be on display at the Smithsonian Institution.

The Muppets will be making their home, at least temporarily, in the underground International Gallery at the Smithsonian Institution as part of the exhibit "Jim Henson's Fantastic World."

Visitors to the show, which opens Saturday and continues through October 5, will find the Muppets under special lighting, behind glass and closely guarded.

The reason it's a homecoming for the well-known puppets, is that Muppets creator Jim Henson grew up in nearby Hyattsville, Maryland, and attended the University of Maryland, where his creative approach began to take shape.

"We're showing how he went from drawing to a cartoon to a puppet to a moving image," said project director Deborah Macanic.

The exhibit traces Henson's career as a puppeteer and filmmaker, until his death in 1990, through more than 100 original drawings, cartoons and story boards and about 14 famous Muppets.

Henson got his start in television while still in college, creating a TV show called "Sam and Friends" in 1954 for Washington's NBC station. Kermit the Frog's character began developing from this show and later became a superstar.