The Argentinean Puppet Museum, Buenos Aires

The Argentinean Puppet Museum was established by two professors in 1983. Their objectives were to document and preserve the different types of puppetry in Argentina and to promote fruitful exchanges among puppeteers from around the world.

The Argentinean Puppet Museum was created by Sarah Bianchi and Bernardo Mane. At first they held an exhibition with the help of the UNICEF in 1971. They collected enough material to form a museum and at first the display formed part of the Historical Museum of La Boca. At the time the museum had 200 dolls, fifty posters and literature about puppets and puppetry. As the collection grew and required more space, the house of Bernardo Mane was remodeled as a museum and opened to the public in 1996.

The Argentinean Puppet Museum now has several large showcases showing puppets from different countries and displaying different techniques. There is a room dedicated to playwright and puppeteer Sergei Orbrastzov who is often regarded as the finest 20th century puppeteer. Another room is dedicated to the different types of puppetry performed in Mexico. There is a specialized library with books on puppetry for researchers, workshops and a space for temporary shows. There is a hall where shows for adults and children are performed every day.