In November 2008, I visited JIM HENSON'S FANTASTIC WORLD at the Atlanta History Center and JIM HENSON: WONDERS FROM HIS WORKSHOP at the Center for Puppetry Arts. It was one of the single best days of my entire life. I saw things I never thought I’d see, things that I couldn't believe actually exist, and things that inspired me to no end. What follows is my attempt at communicating the experience to you as best I can.

FANTASTIC WORLD was on loan from the Smithsonian and was only in Atlanta for a few months. It’s like walking through Jim’s life from beginning to end. The walls are lined with sketches, storyboards and scripts dating back to the 1950s when Jim got his start making puppets for TV commercials. When you walk in, there's a TV set on the wall playing the commercials, accompanied by original artifacts illustrating the idea process on the opposite wall. You are right in the middle of Jim’s head, seeing his drawings and reading his words while simultaneously hearing them come to life all around you. I was immediately struck by how closely the final product resembled his original vision. Right away it was evident that this was a guy people believed in, a guy who knew exactly what he wanted to do and inspired everyone who got involved with him.

Along the way, encased in glass just like the sketches are, of course, Jim’s puppets. And while some have been restored or re-built, they are the ones used in the shows. They’ve got the ones you'd expect to see, such as Kermit, Bert and Ernie (dating back to the 70s and 80s), mahna mahna, Rowlf, even gobo from "Fraggle Rock". But incredibly, they also have puppets from some of Jim’s early commercial work too. So not only are you immersed in Jim’s creative process, but you actually see so much of it right there, physically in front of you. I’m sure that even for the casual fan, this would be incredible to see. For me, it was a near religious experience. Here were so many things I’d seen on TV, in movies, read about in books my whole life, now before my eyes. Think of your favorite song, one that changed your life perhaps, and then imagine getting to see the actual piece of paper the lyrics were written on. I can't stress enough the fact that all the sketches in this exhibit were the genuine article, you could see through the paper in some cases and make out the wrapper, napkin or whatever they were written on the back of.

The most amazing, jaw-dropping thing I saw were two pieces of yellow legal paper, side by side, with the opening sequence of "The Muppet Show" drawn out on them. Unreal. The only thing between me and this piece of history was a thin pane of glass. It was just there on the wall in between so many others, very unassuming. Seeing Kira's dress (from "Dark Crystal") was another surreal moment. I spent close to two hours with the exhibit, making sure I looked at, watched and read everything. Before it went back to Washington, I returned for one last visit as a birthday present to myself.

WONDERS FROM HIS WORKSHOP is on permanent display at the Center for Puppetry Arts. It smaller, and is more about just displaying the puppets, but if you're a fan of "Labyrinth" or "Fraggle Rock" you're going to flip out when you see some of the things they've got. There are several of the hands from the "Which way do you want to go?" scene, one of the door knockers, Sir Didymus, and more. The Fraggle collection is even better: you'll see Red, Mokey, and several Doozers among other things. This exhibit is more for kids, as they have created entire scenes around the glass cases displaying the puppets. You’re seeing the puppets/creatures in their context, in their surroundings. Very reverent, very cool.

If you've never been to the Puppetry Arts Center, you need to go. It has been open since 1978 and I went on several field trips there when I was in grade school. Their planned Jim Henson wing is scheduled to open in 2012, but in the meantime they have a couple great exhibits that are fixtures of their museum. JIM HENSON PUPPETEER is an entire room that's somewhat similar to the Smithsonian exhibit, only the sketches and so forth are reproductions. The puppets, however, are the real deal. You’ll see the Swedish Chef, Dr. Teeth, and a Rowlf that's actually much older than the one at the other exhibit. His fur is darker in color and there's some slight damage below his eyes. They also have a couple really cool Henson-related items scattered in their main puppet gallery, including one of the Skeksis from "The Dark Crystal", complete with giant metal sword. Despite being in a glass case, he's in the middle of the room so you can walk all the way around him and check it out (all puppets in the Smithsonian exhibit were displayed like this).

For those who know me well, you know that my affinity for Jim Henson’s work dates back to my very earliest memories. What I feel goes beyond nostalgia, beyond sentimentality. My parents also loved the Muppets, making sure the new movies, albums and shows stayed on our household radar. Growing up, my dream was to one day work directly for Jim in his shop. I enjoyed drawing, inventing things, daydreaming, imagining, coming up with new ideas, challenging and defying the world around me. My inner Kermit and my inner gonzo worked harmoniously, keeping me just grounded enough in the real world to inspire confidence and loyalty, simultaneously freaking people out and making them laugh. I remember the day my dad called to tell me Jim had suddenly died. I remember what the phone looked like, I remember the color carpet I was standing (and later lying down, crying) on. And I remember not knowing what I was going to do with the rest of my life.

I still don't know.

What I’m sure of is that the man's work impacted me in a very real and noticeable way. While Jim and I are from two very different eras, I relate to the very basic principles behind what he wanted to do. Notice that most of the Muppet sketches end with a character either being eaten by something or blowing up, and it's not very hard to see the roots of my particular sense of humor. I like it that I can see such a thing so easily. I like it that being weird is a virtue and you can still change the world. And I like knowing there is no map for where I’m going. The same idea that may frighten some is a comfort to me. Yadda yadda yadda, wocka wocka wocka, etc.