Why You Should Donate to MoMI’s Kickstarter Campaign

Published: May 3, 2017

I’m guessing you probably know by now that the Museum of the Moving Image is holding a Kickstarter campaign to finish their permanent Jim Henson exhibition. And if you didn’t know, well, there it is. So far, they’ve surpassed their initial goal of $40,000 to have the exhibit open sometime this summer, and their first and second stretch goals of $100,000 for puppet conservation and $125,000 for their two interactive exhibits, where guests will be able to digitally design their own Anything Muppet and try their hand (pun intended) at puppeteering for the screen in the Henson style. With time running out, MoMI can still use your help, so I thought I’d take some time and address some common reasons as to why you should donate.

But they’ve already met their goal!

This is true, they have raised the initial funding goal to finish the exhibit and for their stretch goals. But the more money they raise, the less likely it will be that they’ll have to cut some corners to get these experiences ready on time. This exhibit has been nearly four years in the making. There’s only one chance to do make it the best exhibit it can be.

I don’t live anywhere near New York City.

Ever heard of something called “travel?” All kidding aside, this is still a very worthy cause. Visitors of all ages from around the world will be able to learn about Jim Henson and his life’s work. And don’t worry, MoMI hasn’t forgotten about you out-of-towners! Throughout the campaign, MoMI’s been offering up rare Muppet collectibles as rewards, and I’m willing to bet they’re not done yet on that front. So whether you live in New York or New South Wales, Australia, there’s something for everyone.

I’ve already donated, but I’d like to donate more for multiple rewards.

First of all, thank you for your support! Second of all, no worries! According to the campaign’s Frequently Asked Questions, while Kickstarter does limit rewards to one per account, you can create multiple accounts to receive multiple rewards, and tie them all to the same credit/debit card. So go ahead! Get those rewards!

I’m not really a fan of Sesame Street, The Muppet Show, or Fraggle Rock.

Then why are you reading this website? Anyways, once you find your soul, you can rest assured that this exhibit will cover more than just those shows. The museum has already confirmed that their collection includes characters from The Dark Crystal, Sam & Friends, Henson’s commercial work from the 1960’s including Sir Linit, the LaChoy Dragon, and Wilkins and Wontkins, as well as The Ghost of Faffner Hall, The Muppet Musicians of Bremen, and Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas. Or do you hate Christmas, too?

I’m a kid and don’t have a credit/debit card to pay with.

Fair enough. I would ask a parent or guardian to help out here. It’d probably help if you offered to pay them back. And good on you for wanting to donate to charity!

I don’t have an internet connection.

Okay, never mind that Muppet-hater from before — how are you reading this? You do know ToughPigs is a website. On the internet. But all you have to do is find a way to get to a place with internet. A library, a friend’s house, one of those “internet cafes” from the late ’90s. Just be careful with your card information. And then consider getting internet access. It’s quite useful.

Jim Henson’s kids are billionaires! Let them pay for it!

First of all, while the Henson family has been cooperative in getting Jim’s story into museums, they are not responsible for this exhibit. That’s MoMI’s work, and theirs alone. And second of all, how do you know how much money the Hensons have? That’s between them and their accountants. It isn’t up to you to determine what they can and can’t do, random internet complainer.

I am trapped in 1843 London as a result of a time-travel excursion to find out if Charles Dickens actually hung out with rats.

Umm, okay, that might be a little tougher. First, find an airtight box. Place £0.33 inside the box and seal it shut. Bury it in a location known only to you, and leave a map of its location for your future generations to pass down. If you’re looking to pass some time, make up riddles for them to solve in order to reach the box. Most importantly, tell them to find the box before May 11^th, 2017, at 10:22 AM EDT. Adjusting for inflation and the conversion rate from British pounds to US dollars, you should have about $50, which will get you an autographed photo of Karen Prell.

I’m the ghost of James Buchanan, the 15^th President of the United States.

Well, first of all sir, it’s an honor to know that your ethereal form is a reader of our humble website! You may want to haunt your way to the staff at Wheatland, your former residence in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, which is now a national historical site, in case you didn’t know. If you rattle enough chains and make enough walls creak, you can probably get someone to help you there.

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Hmm…this is a tough one. Let me see if I can answer you. Here goes: ????? ??????? ?? ?????. ??? ?????? ??????, ??? ? ????? ???????. ????? ????, ?? ?????? ???????? ? ????????????? ????? ??????????? ??????. ??? ??????? ?????, ? ???? ?????? ??? ??????? ?????????.

PUT SEASONS FOUR AND FIVE OF THE MUPPET SHOW ON DVD ALREADY!

You wait long enough, and eventually this response will come up to nearly any ToughPigs piece, right folks? Anyways, I get why you might be frustrated. Things have been less than ideal lately. Muppet fans have been at the mercy of DVD producers, network executives, and a public that likes making memes out of Muppets, but not so much on actually watching or buying new Muppet stuff.

For too long, our fate’s not been in our own hands. But this is where we can actually be a part of something new and exciting featuring characters and people we all love. We the fans can make this an incredible place where people of all ages can learn about the magic of Jim Henson. All we have to do is give what we can, and we can make something the world can enjoy.

I can’t afford to give right now.

I get it. If times are tight, I certainly wouldn’t ask you to go broke donating to this exhibit. So to that, I’ll give you two answers. First, every little bit helps. Even if it’s just a dollar or two, it’ll help this exhibit become a reality. And if enough people donate a dollar or two, it can be a big difference.

That leads me to my second answer: you still have something valuable you can give to the campaign, and that’s your voice. Tell everybody you know that this campaign is happening. Sound the horn! Beat the drum! Blow the vuvuzela! You never know, you might just change the mind of someone who wouldn’t normally give. If you need some inspiration on what to say, we’ve come up with some images perfect for sharing and rallying the troops.