Decked out for the Holidays: Sellwood’s ‘Portland Puppet Museum’

Published 12:00 am Saturday, December 23, 2023

Director and Owner Steve Overton is celebrating the Holiday Season at the unique Portland Puppet Museum in Sellwood, on S.E. Umatilla Street.

“Thanks to eight volunteers, we’ve been able to keep it together over the last year, since the passing of the man I started the museum with, Marty Richmond, about a year ago,” Overton reflected. “Many family members have also gotten involved in puppeteering, which is wonderful.”

The museum’s 54th exhibit hosted in this Southeast Portland building since 2011 is entitled “Enchanted Fairytale Puppets and Television Characters”. It features never-here-before puppets from the 1700s. (Yes, from three centuries ago!)

“In addition to puppets from around the world featured in fairytales, we also have locally-famous characters back on display, including Bumpity – who was on Channel 2 for years – and Captain Quizmo, host of the Fox Network Cartoon Network back in the late 1980s,” Overton revealed.

On stage: ‘Nutcracker Cracked’

Through the end of the year, the Portland Puppet Museum presents their regular Holiday musical extravaganza, “Nutcracker Cracked”.

Performed by the Olde World Puppet Theatre, and set to the classical music of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Ballet with a “cast” of 84 puppets, families with even little kids will stay interested and enjoy this timeless story – which is performed in 37 action-packed minutes!

Nutcracker Cracked plays on Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. through January 7th. And, there’s a special “Adults Night Out” 21+ performance on December 22nd at 7:30 p.m.

The theater at the Portland Puppet Museum in Sellwood is relatively compact, so if you plan to attend, consider making telephone reservations ahead of time at 503/233-7723.

The exhibit hall is free to the public; it’s open Thursday through Sunday, 2 to 8 p.m. – and located at 906 S.E. Umatilla Street, four blocks west of 13th. For more information, visit their website – http://www.puppetmuseum.com

And now, take a moment to visit the Puppet Museum with us, in this exclusive BEE VIDEO — CLICK HERE!