Entry No. 11 — the Kansas City file — filed under: history
Puppetry Arts Institute
Dedicated to preserving the art of puppetry, this unique museum features a slightly creepy but fascinating collection of puppets and marionettes from around the world. It also preserves the legacy of Hazelle Rollins, a local businesswoman who ran the world's largest toy puppet factory in Kansas City from the 1930s to the 1970s.
The story
You didn't hear it from us, but Kansas City was once the toy puppet capital of the world. Starting in 1932, local businesswoman Hazelle Rollins built Hazelle, Inc., which expanded over four decades into the largest toy puppet manufacturing operation on the planet, pumping out millions of marionettes and hand puppets through the mid-1980s. The Puppetry Arts Institute on East Winner Road in Independence exists specifically to keep that industrial empire—and the delicate art behind it—from slipping into obscurity.
Inside, the Hazelle Room serves as the world's only dedicated museum space for her company's history, showcasing original marionettes, patents, and production materials. Beyond her factory line, the institute holds a vast global collection of jointed wooden puppets, shadow figures, and ventriloquist dummies. It straddles a fine line between folk-art museum and theatrical workshop, even continuing niche traditions like producing specialized Sister Mary Annette nun puppets.
What it's like
Stepping inside feels like entering a hybrid research archive, artisan workshop, and neighborhood puppet theater. You'll walk past rows of painted faces and suspended strings, with glass eyes quietly watching from display shelves. Plan your visit around the Englewood Arts District's Third Friday Art Walk or a scheduled weekend workshop if you want to paint a puppet head or catch a live performance, and make sure to verify current hours before heading out as public openings depend heavily on event schedules.
The move: Visit during the Englewood Arts District's Third Friday Art Walk, take a tour of the international puppet room, and participate in a hands-on puppet painting workshop.
- 📍 Independence, MO
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 11025 E Winner Rd, Independence, MO 64052
Hours: Added 2026-07-21 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Leila’s Hair Museum — Follow up a gallery of glass-eyed marionettes with an equally intense Victorian craft: wreaths and jewelry woven from human hair less than two miles away.
- 3 Trails Forge — Swap delicate puppet strings for heavy hammer work at this active blacksmith shop located just a tenth of a mile down the road.
- Pitcher Cemetery — Pair the uncanny quiet of vintage marionettes with a walk through a tiny pioneer graveyard dating back to 1830.
Good to know
Where is the Puppetry Arts Institute located?
It is located at 11025 E Winner Rd in Independence, Missouri, in the Englewood Arts District.
What is the museum's historical connection to Kansas City?
It preserves the legacy of Hazelle Rollins, whose Kansas City-based company was the largest toy puppet manufacturer in the world from the 1930s through the mid-1980s.
Can visitors participate in hands-on activities?
Yes, the venue offers puppet-making and painting workshops alongside educational tours and live puppet shows.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · Atlas Obscura · visitkc.com
last checked: 2026-07-21