The Museum Of Ventriloquism In Kentucky Is Not For The Faint Of Heart
By Andrea Limke|Published March 26, 2017
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Andrea Limke
Author
A Cincinnati native who has lived in Kentucky for over 10 years, Andrea's heart belongs both in the Queen City and the Bluegrass State. After earning an education degree and working in that field for a number of years, Andrea began to pursue her passion for writing over 6 years ago. Since then she has written for a number of print and online publications, as well as published a children's book.
Have you ever had the feeling that someone was watching you? That hundreds of pairs of eyes were peering at you, following as you moved about a room? To most, this sounds like a worst nightmare. But there’s a place in Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky that celebrates this eery hobby—Vent Haven Museum—the only museum of ventriloquism in the entire world.
Vent Haven Museum opened to the public on June 30, 1973. The vast collection began as the personal hobby of Cincinnati-area resident, William Shakespeare (W.S.) Berger, who was a huge fan of the art of ventriloquism.
When W.S. retired from his career, his collection continued to grow, so much so that he renovated his garage and eventually built another building just to store it. He threw his passion into the International Brotherhood of Ventriloquists, of which he was president for many years.
Although it's agreed upon that ventriloquy is a true art form and takes much skill, it's also easy to see why many people find these figures a little, well, creepy.
When you schedule a private tour of the museum, you'll see over 800 figures (with all of their eyes on you), and thousands of photographs, playbills, letters and books, some of which date back to the 1700s. The collection is truly impressive. And may make you a little uneasy.
To tour this unique museum, you'll need to leave all feelings of paranoia at the door. There are pairs of eyes everywhere you look and the feeling will likely stick with you, long after you leave.
W.S. Berger wanted nothing more than for his passion to continue on, long after his death. This museum's mission is to do just that and with over 1,000 visitors each year, it is succeeding. The museum also hosts the Vent Haven ConVENTion in July each year, which brings people to Northern Kentucky from all over the world.
If you think you're up for the challenge of visiting this Kentucky hidden museum, give them a call! They are open May - September and tours are by appointment. You can reach them at 859-341-0461 and at 33 West Maple Avenue Ft. Mitchell, KY 41011.
What do you think? Biggest nightmare or intriguing? Have you been to Vent Haven Museum? Share your thoughts in the comments below! And for more info on this one-of-a-kind museum, visit the website here.
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