Bert and Ernie, mid-conversation as always. One of the highlights of the Jim Henson exhibit.
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I grew up on Sesame Street and The Muppets, so when the Jim Henson exhibition opened at GOMA on 12 September 2026, we were there on day one. We walked out of Make, Believe, Magic: The Worlds of The Jim Henson Company with a plush Count Von Count under our daughter’s arm and an Animal t-shirt for me.
IN THIS GUIDE
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This review is written from one visit, on opening day, with our four-year-old setting the pace. I could have stood in front of every screen in there for hours. A four-year-old has other ideas, so this is the exhibition as you see it with a small child steering.
Disclosure: our visit was gifted by South Bank Corporation as part of our Key to South Bank prize, including a $100 voucher for exhibition merchandise. All opinions are our own.
BEFORE YOU BOOK
Jim Henson Exhibition at a Glance
A Firey from Labyrinth, guitar in hand and completely in his element.
JIM HENSON EXHIBITION AT A GLANCE
Exhibition – Make, Believe, Magic: The Worlds of The Jim Henson Company.
Where – Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA), Stanley Place, South Brisbane.
Dates – 12 September 2026 to 18 April 2027.
Hours – Gallery open daily, 10am to 5pm. Last exhibition entry 4pm.
Tickets – Timed entry $18-$42 depending on the day, Flexi day pass $56, 5-visit Multi Pass $57-$120.
Family bundle – 10% off, applied automatically to 2 Adult + 2-3 Child/Youth or 1 Adult + 3-4 Child/Youth (minimum 4 tickets).
Getting there – Stanley Place car park beneath the State Library, with bus, train and CityCat all within walking distance.
Ages – All ages.
Correct as at – September 2026. Prices checked 21 September 2026.
THE EXHIBITION
What Is the Jim Henson Exhibition at GOMA?
Make, Believe, Magic celebrates 70 years of The Jim Henson Company, and it’s a big one. Hundreds of objects, puppets, animatronic creatures, props, costumes and original drawings, with screen clips running alongside from Sesame Street, The Muppets, Fraggle Rock, The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth.
The headline piece is the Great Hall set from Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock, installed at GOMA to take you behind the scenes of a working puppeteer’s film set. Fraggle Rock sat on the edge of my childhood, I knew the Fraggles but they were never my show.
Even so, the set is incredible, and it kept our daughter entertained for a long time. There’s so much to see in there, and you can even grab some of the hand puppets and make your own show.
Murray and Jomana having a go at their own puppet show, while our daughter took in Big Bird and Mr Snuffleupagus up close.
THE NOSTALGIA HIT
A Muppets Kid Back With the Muppets
The Muppets were my thing. Not one character, all of them, Kermit, Fozzie, Gonzo, Miss Piggy, Animal, the lot.
Sesame Street was right there too, and walking past Big Bird and Mr Snuffleupagus hit harder than I expected. Standing in front of Big Bird, I suddenly remembered my old vinyl record of Big Bird Leads the Band, something I hadn’t thought about in years.
There are video and documentary clips right through the exhibition, and I wanted to stand and listen to every one of them. I could have spent hours in there. A four-year-old moves you along a lot quicker than that.
Fair enough, it’s her day out too.
THROUGH A 4 Y/O’S EYES
What Our Four-Year-Old Loved
Locked in, headphones on, at one of the exhibition’s video displays, and holding her new counting bestie.
Our daughter went straight for the audio and video. We could hear her giggling away at the monitors, completely locked in to whatever clip was playing.
The moment that stuck was Count Von Count, the Sesame Street vampire who loves to count. She watched and listened to him for ages.
By the end of the day he was her counting bestie, and he came home with us in plush form.
BEHIND THE PUPPETS
Beyond the Muppets: Sketches, The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth
For me, the sketches are what lift this above a puppet display. Original drawings behind Jim Henson’s commercials and shows sit alongside the finished puppets, so you see the idea on paper right next to the thing it became.
Seeing Big Bird on screen is one thing. Seeing the early drawings that led to him is another.
A lot of Jim Henson’s work sits outside the Muppets, and the early commercial work gets an extensive section of its own. There are the puppets, videos of the actual ads, the sketches and the storyboards that map each ad out frame by frame. From 1957 until 1969 he paid for his workshop, his experimental TV and his films with commercials, so this is the work that kept everything else going.
Then there’s The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth, neither of which was on my radar as a kid. The Dark Crystal puppets on display are quite big and so detailed. Labyrinth was playing, David Bowie and all, and it was fun to watch, though a bit scary for our daughter.
Both have a cult following, and Netflix went back to The Dark Crystal with a prequel series, Age of Resistance. After this exhibition, they’re both on my watch list.
THE QAGOMA STORE
The QAGOMA Store and My Animal T-Shirt
Our $100 voucher went on two things at the QAGOMA store, a Count Von Count plush for our daughter and an Animal t-shirt for me. If you miss it on the day, the Jim Henson range is also on the QAGOMA online store.
That t-shirt has been doing the rounds since. We walked into a cafe out in the Scenic Rim with me wearing it and the owners lit up, they can’t wait to see the exhibition on their next trip to Brisbane.
Animal still starts conversations.
GETTING THERE
Getting to GOMA: Parking, Transport and Tickets
GOMA is on Stanley Place, South Brisbane (open 10am–5pm daily).
Parking & Transport: The closest option is the Stanley Place car park (P3) beneath the State Library ($20 flat rate, 7am–midnight; direct lift to GOMA), detailed on the Queensland Cultural Centre website. Alternatively, South Bank Parklands car park ($8–$39) is a 10-to-15-minute walk away. Cultural Centre busway, South Brisbane train station, and South Bank ferries are all within easy walking distance.
Tickets & Facilities: Tickets are timed-entry (last entry 4pm); pre-booking is recommended for weekends and school holidays. A free cloakroom handles large bags, though nappy bags are permitted inside. Prams are welcome across all exhibitions, with parents’ rooms located on Level 1 and Park Level.
School Holidays: The Sock Puppet Studio (10am–3:30pm daily) is included with tickets to The Jim Henson Company exhibition, letting kids build a puppet and record a lip-sync performance video.
THE HONEST BIT
What’s Worth Knowing Before You Go
Four things. First, the timed entry. We booked ahead and opening day was smooth, but if you’re thinking of a spontaneous visit, check availability before you drive in rather than assuming you can walk up.
Second, the pace. This is an exhibition built for lingering, with clips and documentaries right through it, and a four-year-old lingers where she wants to, not where you do. If you’re the Muppets fan in your family, you’ll see more of it on a solo trip, or a second visit on the Multi Pass.
Third, not everything is pitched at little kids. Labyrinth was playing when we went through, and parts of it were a bit scary for our daughter.
Fourth, the timing for naps. We spent about 1 hour 30 minutes total, including time in the QGOMA store for exhibition merch, making it easy to schedule around a morning or afternoon nap.
MAKE IT A DAY OUT
Making a Day of It in South Bank
Because GOMA takes about 1.5 hours to explore, it fits easily into a wider day out in the Cultural Centre precinct.
Things to Do: If you’re building a full itinerary around your gallery visit, our South Bank family guide covers Streets Beach, the Queensland Museum, and the best free playground stops for kids nearby.
Where to Eat: For lunch, coffee, or a post-gallery treat, our South Bank dining guide breaks down the best family-friendly cafés and restaurants along Little Stanley Street and Grey Street.
Where to Stay: If you’re planning a staycation or weekend trip to South Brisbane, our Emporium Hotel South Bank review covers what it’s like staying right on the edge of the parklands with a young child.
THE VERDICT
Is the Jim Henson Exhibition Worth It for Families?
Yes. The nostalgia lands for parents, the screens and the Fraggle Rock set held our four-year-old’s attention, and the sheer scale of it makes it a strong pick for a Brisbane family day out through to April 2027.
It’s rare for an exhibition to work for both generations in the same room. This one does. Just go in knowing a small child will set the pace, and if you’re anything like me, you’ll want a second trip to watch everything you walked past.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Jim Henson Exhibition: FAQs
What are the GOMA exhibition times for Make, Believe, Magic?
The gallery is open daily from 10am to 5pm, with last entry to the exhibition at 4pm.
How much does the Jim Henson exhibition cost?
Timed-entry tickets range from $18 to $42, with day-pass Flexi tickets at $56 and 5-visit Multi Pass tickets from $57 to $120. A 10% family bundle discount applies automatically to eligible family ticket combinations.
Where is the Jim Henson exhibition held?
At the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA), Stanley Place, South Brisbane. Make, Believe, Magic: The Worlds of The Jim Henson Company runs from 12 September 2026 to 18 April 2027.
Is the Jim Henson exhibition suitable for young kids?
Yes, it’s suitable for all ages. Our four-year-old was hooked on the audio and video clips, spent a long time at the Fraggle Rock set, and Count Von Count was the big winner.
Where do you park for GOMA?
The closest option is the Stanley Place car park (P3) beneath the State Library ($20 flat rate; direct lift to GOMA). South Bank Parklands car park ($8–$39) is a 10-minute walk. Cultural Centre bus, train, and ferry stops are nearby.
Is there a hands-on activity for kids at the exhibition?
Yes. Inside the exhibition you can grab some of the hand puppets and make your own show. The Sock Puppet Studio also runs 10am to 3.30pm daily during Queensland state school holidays, where kids build and perform with their own sock puppet.
Can I buy Jim Henson merchandise at GOMA?
Yes, the QAGOMA store stocks exhibition merchandise, and the range is also online. We came home with a Count Von Count plush and an Animal t-shirt.
Booking the Jim Henson Exhibition?
Check session times, ticket tiers and the family bundle on QAGOMA’s site.
KEEP EXPLORING
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Co-founder of Really Traveling. Murray is the one in the family who remembers The Muppets the first time round. He writes first-hand guides with Jomana for Brisbane families with children under five.
