National Comedy Center facts for kids
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| Established | August 1, 2018 |
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| Location | 201 West 2nd Street (West 2nd Street at Washington Street) Jamestown, New York 14701 |
| Visitors | 66,000 |
| Public transit access | Via (Jamestown station) Chautauqua Area Regional Transit System Coach USA Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach |
The National Comedy Center is a special place in Jamestown, New York. It is a museum and an archive dedicated to the world of comedy. This center explores the history of comedy in the United States. It also celebrates the many talented people who have made us laugh. This includes comedians, writers, cartoonists, and producers.
The United States Congress officially named it the US National Comedy Center on February 26, 2019. The center first opened its doors in August 2018. It actually started out as the Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Museum. That museum is now located just a few blocks away.
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How the Comedy Center Gets Support
The National Comedy Center gets a lot of help from the entertainment industry. Many famous people and companies donate items to the museum. These items are often related to well-known comedians.
Famous Donors and Their Gifts
Many individual comedians and their families have given items to the center. These include Dan Aykroyd, the Smothers Brothers, and the family of Lenny Bruce. The families of George Carlin and Harpo Marx have also donated. Other famous names like Carl Reiner, the estate of Garry Shandling, Jerry Seinfeld, and Lily Tomlin have also contributed.
Company Contributions
Big entertainment companies also support the center. They donate items from their own collections. Some of these companies are Desilu Too, NBC Universal, Paramount Pictures, and Warner Brothers.
Sharing the Johnny Carson Archive
The National Comedy Center also works with the Elkhorn Valley Museum in Nebraska. Together, they manage the special collection of items from Johnny Carson. He was a very famous talk show host.
Awards and Recognition
The National Comedy Center has received many important awards. People all over the country have recognized it as a great place to visit.
Best New Museum Award
In 2020, USA Today named the National Comedy Center the "Best New Museum" in the entire country. This was part of their 10Best Readers’ Choice Travel Awards.
Reasons to Love America
In June 2019, the center was chosen as one of the "100 reasons to love America." This shows how much people appreciate what the museum offers.
One of the World's Best Places
Later in August 2019, Time magazine also recognized the National Comedy Center. They named it one of the "world's 100 best places."
