National Comedy Center Named One of People Magazine's '100 Reasons to Love America'
Design By Jack L. Rouse Associates
The National Comedy Center was just named one of People Magazine's "100 Reasons to Love America" in the publication's July 1, 2019 cover story. One of only three museums to be named on its annual list of the nation's most beloved treasures, People cited the National Comedy Center as "the country's first museum devoted to comedy" and "worth the trip to Jamestown, NY, Lucille Ball's hometown."
Also included on the list are goat yoga, Dog City U.S.A., Kenan Thompson, Ru Paul, Amy Schumer's maternity selfies, Julia Louis Dreyfuss, Play-doh, and the Brady Bunch house restoration.
"We are proud to be included on this prestigious list created by PEOPLE Magazine," said Journey Gunderson, National Comedy Center Executive Director. "As Americans hit the road over the July 4th holiday weekend and beyond, we hope they'll come visit Jamestown, NY to see for themselves why the National Comedy Center is a national treasure and a great reason to love America. This is one more validation of everything our visitors have been saying about the experience. It exceeds everyone's expectations, and I'm glad People has recognized it in this national context."
"Our goal was to create a world class attraction where patrons from all over the world would be entertained and educated, and just have fun", said Tom Benson, the National Comedy Center Project Chairman. "When I walk through the Center now and hear laughter ringing out from all corners, from people of all ages and walks of life, I know that we hit our mark."
After attending the center's opening at last year's Lucyfest we declared the museum to be a comedy candy store in content, and the first of its kind in construction. We predicted that every museum in the country will follow their lead in exhibition design. It's also authentic, smart and so much fun. The only thing it isn't is easy to get to, but when people continually rave about their experience there after making the trek, you know its worth the effort. We'll be making our third journey northwestward this August for the 2019 festival- which looks like its shaping up to be Jamestown's best yet.
The National Comedy Center was also voted a "Best New Attraction" by USA Today readers earlier this year, ranking #2 out of 20 new attractions and ranking as the #1 museum and #1 ticketed attraction in the country. In March, the U.S. Congress designated the National Comedy Center as the United States' official cultural institution dedicated to presenting the vital story of comedy and preserving its heritage for future generations. Conde Nast Traveler called the Center "One of the best museums in the country." Visitors from all 50 states and nine countries have given the Center a rare 5/5 rating on TripAdvisor, ranking among the highest in the attraction and tourism industry.
Opened in August 2018 in Jamestown, New York, the National Comedy Center offers an unprecedented visitor experience using state-of-the-art technology, interactivity and personalization to create the first true 21st Century museum environment.
Featuring exclusive collections, world-class exhibits and leading-edge technology, the National Comedy Center presents an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes look at the time-honed creative processes that have elevated comedy entertainment to an art form. Over 50 innovative exhibits within the 37,000-square-foot facility enable visitors to take an interactive journey through comedy history, from early vaudeville to the latest viral memes. Throughout their personalized experience, visitors gain a profound appreciation for comedy icons and innovators, as well as for the tremendous influence of humor on how we think, live and laugh.
The National Comedy Center museum experience is open seven days a week, year round, 10am-5pm Sunday through Thursday, and 10am-9pm Friday and Saturday. For admission information, visit www.ComedyCenter.org.