Vent Haven Museum

Vent Haven Museum is the world's only museum of ventriloquial figures and memorabilia. Its collection contains more than one thousand ventriloquist figures from twenty countries as well as hundreds of photographs and other pieces of memorabilia related to ventriloquism, including replicas of figures used by Edgar Bergen, Paul Winchell, and Shari Lewis, and authentic performance pieces used by Jimmy Nelson, Willie Tyler, Jay Johnson, Terry Fator, Jeff Dunham, and Darci Lynne.[1][2] The museum is in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky, five miles south of Cincinnati.[3] It opened in 1973.[2]

Ventriloquist figures at the museum

The museum is open seasonally from May 1 to September 30 by appointment only. It is also open to those attending the Vent Haven ConVENTion. As of March of 2022, the museum is closed while construction occurs on a new facility. The museum is expected to open to the public sometime in the late summer or early fall of 2022.

History

Vent Haven Museum was founded by William Shakespeare Berger (1878-1972), a Cincinnati businessman and amateur ventriloquist.[4] Berger amassed his collection of approximately 500 dummies from 1910 until his death.[5] The museum has continued to grow through donations of ventriloquism materials, and its collection has doubled in size since opening as a public museum in 1973.[6]

References
  1. Smith, Steve; et al. (2007). "Arts & Attractions". Cincinnati USA City Guide. Cincinnati Magazine. p. 22. Retrieved 2013-05-06.
  2. "Overview". Vent Haven Museum. 2015. Retrieved 2015-11-17.
  3. "Vent Haven Museum FAQ". Vent Haven Museum. 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-05-11. Retrieved 2008-02-20. (webarchive)
  4. "Vent Haven Museum FAQ". Vent Haven Museum. 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-05-11. Retrieved 2008-02-20. (webarchive)
  5. Day, Teresa (January 30, 2005). Fun With the Family Kentucky: Hundreds of Ideas for Day Trips with the Kids. Globe Pequot. p. 57. ISBN 9780762734900. Retrieved 2013-05-07.
  6. "Vent Haven Museum Capital Funds Campaign".

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