The Puppet Library

Located in south Minneapolis, our Puppet Library is open on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of every month from 10 am to 2 pm*. Come and view our selection of artist made puppets and check out items for your own use. Attendees may be in luck and catch one of our Puppet Storytimes while they’re here.

What is the Puppet Library?

The puppet lending library is a collection of puppets and masks on display, many of which are available for check out—just like a book from a library, at no cost to the public.

These puppets and masks can be utilized for community events, activism, school plays, personal celebrations, civic events, and more. During library hours, the public can come for a visit or check out a puppet.

*Puppet Library open hours are subject to change. Check our calendar for frequent updates.

- Visiting our Library Open Hours is absolutely free. Many puppets are available for rental free of charge!
- Some of our puppets in the library will require puppeteers and/or transportation. For these puppets there will be a fee attached to pay our contracted puppeteers for their time transporting and performing at your event. When you visit the library we will indicate which puppets and masks require puppeteers.
- Hiring puppeteers starts $75 an hour, with transportation rental starting at a flat fee of $150. Costs may go up based on project requirements.
Join us for our Puppet Library Open Hours on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month.
- 10 am - 2 pm: Puppet Library Open
You will be able to visit the puppet library during its hours of operation on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of every month. The Puppet Library is open from 10 am to 2 pm.
- During your visit you can check out a puppet with a volunteer or staff person working at the front desk.
- To do so, you will fill out a log with your basic information: your name, phone number, email address, the name of the puppet checked out, and the date of check out.
- You will get a mini lesson in how to wear and operate the puppet or mask that you are borrowing. Puppets can be checked out for a maximum of two weeks at a time. If you want to return your puppet before then you can make arrangements with us.
- Normal puppet wear and tear is to be expected. You will sign a pledge to care for the puppet to the best of your ability and pay for any major damage to the puppet.
It will be a group effort to keep the puppets in good condition, free and available to all and we ask for grace as we launch the library.
We are building our puppet library collection. Here’s how we plan to do so:
- We will invite artists to build new pieces for the library.
- We will work with schools and communities as another avenue to add to the library.