Ernie, left, and his pal Bert are headed to the Smithsonian. (Photo: Sesame Workshop)
Cheryl Henson, daughter of Jim Henson, donated 21 Muppet puppets and props to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History on Sept. 24, reports USA Today.
The latest band of furry Muppets to move to the Smithsonian includes early iterations of longtime Sesame Street fixtures Elmo, Bert, Ernie, Grover, Cookie Monster and Count Von Count. They’ll join up with their buddies Kermit the Frog and Oscar the Grouch, who are already members of the Smithsonian’s Jim Henson Collection. Miss Piggy is also joining the collection.
In other Henson news, Jim Henson: The Biography, by Brian Ray Jones, went on sale Sept. 24. And several Sesame Street characters appeared on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon Sept. 25 to sing their show’s theme song alongside Fallon and The Roots.