Jim Henson's Creature Shop Tour Reveals Muppet Magic Secrets

One of my earliest memories is sitting on the floor, just a foot from the TV at age three, completely transfixed as Cookie Monster frantically devoured a handful of crumbling chocolate chip cookies. Naturally, I had to try it myself.

I’d scoop up a fistful of dry Cheerios, shove them into my mouth and loudly declare “nom nom nom” with every bite, convinced it made them even more delicious. It simply made a spectacular mess on the shag carpet.

Like so many Gen X kids, my imagination was shaped by Jim Henson’s vision through Sesame Street, The Muppet Show and the cinematic world of The Dark Crystal. I didn’t just watch his characters—I felt like I was part of their world. I grumbled alongside Oscar the Grouch, heckled my little brother Statler and Waldorf-style and quietly wished I could have a fluffy, temperamental Fizzgig dog/monster of my very own.

So when I learned that the Jim Henson’s Creature Shop—the legendary studio behind some of Henson’s most iconic puppets, animatronics and creature effects in film, television and live experiences—was opening its doors to the public for 80-minute immersive tours in New York City through Sept. 26, 2026, I jumped at the chance to step behind the curtain…and it did not disappoint.

In fact, it instantly made me feel like a kid again.

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What is Jim Henson’s Creature shop?

Founded in 1979 by Jim Henson as a way to push puppetry and practical effects beyond the world of children’s television, the Creature Shop began as an experimental workshop for building puppets, animatronics and fantastical creatures. It quickly grew into one of the most influential effects studios in history.

Originally based in London and later expanding to Los Angeles and New York, the Creature Shop helped create thousands of unforgettable characters and effects for films and television projects including The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and later productions such as Where the Wild Things Are, Five Nights at Freddy’s, Dinosaurs and Fraggle Rock.

After Henson’s death in 1990, the Creature Shop continued his legacy of innovation and imagination under the leadership of longtime collaborators and puppet artists. Their work earned dozens of Emmy Awards for Sesame Street, as well as an Academy Award for visual effects for the filmBabe.

Jim Henson’s Creature Shop Tour experience

The New York City Creature Shop is located in a nondescript warehouse in Astoria, Queens, and on any given day, you could walk right by it and never know the magic that lies inside.

Our hour-and-20-minute tour—which had an intimate group of about 15 people—was led by a puppeteer who, in full-circle fashion, said he helps bring Cookie Monster to life. (Fun fact: He told us that there is a hole in the back of Cookie Monster’s mouth, so the cookie crumbs—which are actually painted rice cakes—often rain down on the two Muppeteers who are animating him.)

Character photo opportunities

We took the elevator up to a large room that offered dream-come-true photo opportunities with some of my favorite characters and props—including Oscar the Grouch, the throne from The Dark Crystal, a full-sized Gorg from Fraggle Rock and other surprises. (I must admit, taking a photo with Oscar the Grouch may be my favorite celebrity selfie.)

Behind the Muppeteer magic

After exploring and interacting with the characters in the room, we watched a live demonstration from another master puppeteer, who showcased Henson’s innovative “monitor performance” technique.

Instead of puppeteers looking directly at the puppet while performing, Henson had them watch video monitors near their feet showing the camera feed in real time. That allowed performers to control eye lines, framing and subtle movements perfectly for television. It made characters like Kermit the Frog feel natural and emotionally alive on screen.

The creative craftsmen

The next stop on the tour was the Creature Shop’s main workshop—a massive studio packed with rows of felt, foam, fur, feathers, fabric swatches, sculpting tools, molds and half-finished creatures in various stages of development.

Everywhere I looked, there were shelves filled with archived character templates, puppet bodies and forms dating back decades, alongside instantly recognizable faces from the Henson universe—including the wonderfully ridiculous Guy Smiley—it was like seeing an old childhood friend in person.

One of the highlights was getting to speak with a master puppet craftsman, who walked us through how each character comes to life—from an early sketch, to paper templates, molding or sculpting foam, all the way to the finished puppet seen on screen. Some puppets take weeks or even months to complete, especially the more advanced animatronic characters used in film and television. Even tiny details, like the curve of an eyebrow or the texture of fur, help shape a character’s personality and emotional expression.

Because Jim Henson’s Creature Shop is still a working studio, there were also unexpected surprises throughout the tour. We got to see exclusive artifacts, works in progress and special pieces pulled from the archives, which made the experience feel even more personal and magical.

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How to get tickets to the Jim Henson’s Creature Shop Tour

Tickets to visit Jim Henson’s Creature Shop in New York are $150, plus tax and fees, and are on sale now through Sept. 26 at JimHensonExperiences.com. Tip: Book a morning tour and then head down the block to the Museum of the Moving Image for a second tour of the Jim Henson permanent exhibition.

Continuing a legacy

With May 16 marking the 36th anniversary of Jim Henson’s passing, the visit felt even more meaningful. Walking through the Creature Shop reminded me just how deeply his work is woven into so many childhood memories and how powerfully his creativity still resonates generations later.

Jim Henson’s Creature Shop feels like a living celebration of imagination, artistry and pure joy—a place where wonder is still being stitched, sculpted and brought to life every single day.

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This story was originally published May 12, 2026 at 9:00 AM.