The Jim Henson Company sold its lot to musician John Mayer and film/TV producer McG. While not actually the home of The Muppets, it still had references to Kermit and friends, which its founder created. One of these references could be seen when approaching the Jim Henson Company Lot, originally the Chaplin Studios. One of the references is a 12-foot statue of Kermit the Frog, who is dressed as Charlie Chaplin’s The Little Tramp. This has stood at the entrance to the studio for the last 25 years. With The Jim Henson Company departing, many Muppets fans had wondered where this massive Kermit the Frog statue would end up. Now its fate is known.

The Center for Puppetry Arts revealed on social media that the statue will be moved from Hollywood to its campus in Atlanta, Georgia. The announcement was made with the following post:

The Center for Puppetry Arts is honored to announce a remarkable gift from the family of Jim Henson: the towering 12-foot statue of Kermit the Frog dressed as Charlie Chaplin’s The Little Tramp, which has stood at the front gates of the historic studio on La Brea Avenue in Hollywood for the last 25 years while the property was the headquarters of The Jim Henson Company. The statue will be relocated to the campus of the Center for Puppetry Arts in Midtown, Atlanta.

Created to commemorate The Jim Henson Company’s move into the Chaplin studio in 2000, the Kermit statue represented a whimsical link between two visionary artists. Its new home at the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta will ensure that the sculpture continues to delight and inspire generations of dreamers, while also reinforcing the organization’s role in carrying forward and celebrating The Jim Henson Company’s legacy.

The logistics and timing of the statue’s move are still being determined. Fans of film, puppetry and Henson history can look forward to more information in the coming months about when they can visit the statue in its new home in Atlanta.

The Center for Puppetry Arts was founded in 1978 in Midtown, Atlanta. It is the largest museum devoted to puppetry in the United States of America. The has three areas of focus: performance, education, and the museum. When it opened in 1978, Jim Henson and Kermit the Frog were on hand to help open it. The museum is home to the permanent exhibit, The Jim Henson Collection. It seems fitting that this Kermit the Frog statue be moved to the Center for Puppetry Arts.

Details about the Center for Puppetry Arts can be found at puppet.org.

What do you think about the Kermit the Frog statue being moved to the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta? Have you ever been there? Are you going to visit? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!