Chicago museums to host Muppets, gold exhibits

Two Chicago museums hope that Kermit the Frog and the sparkle of pure gold will lure visitors downtown this fall and winter.

Both the Museum of Science and Industry and the Field Museum have major exhibitions on tap for the coming season. The MSI is offering a look at the career and impact of the late Jim Henson, creator of the Muppets and numerous other beloved fantasy characters.

The Field, meanwhile, will host an exhibit that explores the history of gold, a metal that continues to fascinate people and cultures all over the world.

Both exhibits get under way this fall and run through the holiday season and into 2011.

A life of inventionThe Jim Henson exhibit, titled "Jim Henson's Fantastic World," opens today at the MSI."So much of what we do here is about invention and creative thinking, and there's no better person to illustrate that than Jim Henson," said Jeff Buonomo, coordinator of temporary exhibits and public events at MSI. "He created an empire from nothing, and his work is still inspiring kids and adults everywhere."Henson first started introducing his puppet characters on television in the 1950s, but it was his collaboration with the children's show "Sesame Street" in 1969 that made Henson and characters like Big Bird, Kermit the Frog and Oscar the Grouch household names. Henson enjoyed additional success on television with "The Muppet Show" and "Fraggle Rock," along with feature films such as 1982's "The Dark Crystal." He died in 1990. The Henson exhibit uses storyboards, drawings and other artwork to take visitors back to the very start of his career. Early versions of his best-known puppet characters will be on display, along with characters from his later work.The traveling exhibit was organized by the Smithsonian Institution with help from the Jim Henson Legacy. Buonomo said the MSI has added unique elements to the show for its stop in Chicago.Those additions include a slew of hands-on activities for parents and children. Visitors can put on their own puppet show, for example, and they can create their own film clips using Henson characters."We always look to enhance the shows that we rent, if that's possible," Buonomo said. "The show organized by the Smithsonian was already wonderful, but what we've added will make it a huge hit for local families, especially during the holidays."Iconic metalThe Field Museum's upcoming exhibit, "Gold," opens Friday, Oct. 22. It will explore just about every aspect of this shiny and treasured metal: how it's made, how it's mined and how it has fascinated cultures across the globe for thousands of years."It's a beautiful exhibition," said Hilary Sanders, senior project manager at the Field Museum. "We'll have something like 500 gold objects on display, including pieces visitors won't be able to see anywhere else."The items on display will likely dazzle even the most jaded of gold fiends. Visitors will be able to see gold in nugget form, with each piece named for the shape it resembles (the "Texas" nugget, the "seahorse" nugget). Examples of rare crystallized gold will also be on hand.And there will be scores of finished gold pieces that span the history of humankind, from ancient coins recovered in shipwrecks to glittering pieces of jewelry on loan from Cartier. "Gold" is a traveling exhibit organized by the American Museum of Natural History. For its stop in Chicago, the Field Museum has added a number of elements that give it a local flavor, including the World Series trophy won by the Chicago White Sox in 2005 and two gold medals won by local Olympic speedskater Shani Davis."We're so grateful that we acquired those items for this exhibit," Sanders said. "It gives the whole thing a Chicago feel. I can't imagine many people not wanting to see the gold earned by champions right here!""Jim Henson's Fantastic World"When: Sept. 24, 2010, to Jan. 23, 2011Where: Museum of Science and Industry, 5700 S. Lake Shore Drive, ChicagoTickets: $5 for adults and $2 for children age 3-11 (in addition to general admission charge of $15 for adults and $10 for children); go to msichicago.org"Gold"When: Oct. 22, 2010, to March 6, 2011Where: Field Museum, 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive, ChicagoTickets: Included in admission of $22 to $28 for adults, $18 to $23 for seniors and students, $15 to $19 for children age 3-11; go to fieldmuseum.orgFalse20001570Bert and Ernie, stars of TV's "Sesame Street," are among the iconic characters Henson created.Courtesy of the Jim Henson CompanyFalse