Blackpool Puppet Museum announces grand opening after two years of troubles due to Covid-19

The Blackpool Puppet Museum, at Pelham Lodge, General Street, will open fully to the public this Easter, three years after it was founded by resort magician and puppet performer Martin Scott Price.

Since 2020, the museum -which is home to a rotating exhibition of vintage puppets – has been open only for private tours due to the outbreak of Covid-19.

READ: Punch and Judy museum to open at long last in Blackpool

Martin said: “It’s something very unique to Blackpool.

"Punch and Judy shows have been going for over 350 years, and while we don’t have any puppets dating back to that time, we’ve certainly got puppets over 100 years-old.

"There are some old ones, some modern ones, all different, and they all have their own personalities.”

Martin, 65, began his vast collection when he was just five-years-old, after he was gifted a set of Punch and Judy glove puppets for his birthday.

Since then, he has amassed around 1,000 different puppets, from an original Sooty bear to a replica of Pinocchio from the 1940 Disney film.

The traditional Punch and Judy show, often associated with seaside resorts, finds its roots in 16th century Italian comedy – but the history of puppet theatre goes back much further to 3,000BC.

The art of ventriloquism, where performers ‘throw’ their voices to create the illusion that a dummy is speaking, was originally a religious practice, and only became a form of entertainment in the 18th century.

Martin said: “Sadly, because there aren’t as many variety shows for what you would call specialty acts, puppetry can’t find a place.

"You remember headliners like Nookie the bear and Orville the duck. Paul Zerdini (winner of America's Got Talent) today attracts more young people to ventriloquy.

"It would be nice in the future if the Punch and Judy museum could find somewhere special.

"I’m not going to be here forever, and it’s an interesting part of seaside history. It could certainly find its place in the town.”

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