Old and young marveled at the Jim Henson exhibits on display Friday night at the Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience in Meridian, jumping from famous characters such as Bert and Ernie to the technical marvels of puppets from Fraggle Rock and the Dark Crystal. 

Gavin Sisson, 2, already recognized his favorite characters from Muppet Babies, a children’s television show on Disney Channel, according to his mother, Allyn Sisson. 

“He’s big into the Muppet Babies and all of this. He’s loving it,” Allyn Sisson said, as her son played  with a fuzzy blue puppet. “He can point to all of them.”

From Enterprise, Sisson came as part of Friday’s preview night for members of The Max. 

“I’m very excited it’s here for the community,” she said. 

For couple Tom and Ann Maynor, going through the exhibits reminded them of the years spent with their children watching Jim Henson’s work.

“It brings back so many memories of my children’s childhood,” Ann Maynor said. 

The Maynors even bought toys for their family, including an Oscar the Grouch stuffed animal for a 49-year-old son.

“He always wanted to be the Grouch,” Ann Maynor said.

For Mark Tullos, the CEO and president of The Max, bringing these far-flung exhibits to Meridian embodied the purpose of The Max.

“We had over 400 RSVPs and since people sometimes forget to RSVP he were anticipating a little over 500,” Tullos said. “Looking around, it looks like we’ve already hit that. We’re just delighted because those are just members.”

Not only were members exposed to the work of Jim Henson, but employees of The Jim Henson Company, his daughter and Bonnie Erikson, who created Miss Piggy, got to experience the offerings of Meridian as well.

“That’s the purpose of The Max, to bring these great people to Meridian, to Mississippi,” Tullos said. “Bonnie Erikson commented on the great hospitality she’d experienced here. That’s a great message to send out.”

More than that, Tullos said he hoped the exhibit would show what’s in store for Mississippi. 

“It’s important because it’s not only honoring Jim Henson but it’s going to demonstrate how arts can be an engine for cultural tourism,” Tullos said. “We’ve seen that impact on other major cities but they were all major metropolitans.”

The Jim Henson Exhibition: Imagination Unlimited runs through May 4 at The Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience in Meridian.