15. Did you know…?

Lift the flaps to find out interesting facts about the anatomy of puppets!

The "nervous system" of a puppet is the puppeteer. Puppets themselves have no nervous system – all their movement impulses, reactions and actions come from the puppeteer's body and nervous system.

Puppets do not usually have teeth because a constant smile on a puppet does not look good on the stage. Teeth are only added when they are significant in the story or when the puppet is an animal or an evil character.

If the story does not need the puppet to have internal organs, they are not built into the puppet as it does not need any to "stay alive".

Clothes are usually sewn onto the puppet, i.e. attached to the frame, and not changed during the performance. To show a character in another costume, a replica puppet is made wearing the necessary outfit.

The fingers of a puppet do not have to be realistic – they may be simplified or abstract, the hand may have only four fingers or even a very simple ball-shaped form.

On a black pedestal about 180 cm tall with a curved top, a white tabletop puppet with articulated body parts is drawn.

On and around the puppet are five hatches; sliding them up reveals texts to read.

On the left edge of the pedestal, about 80 cm from the floor, are the exhibit number, the NFC symbol and a QR code — scanning it lets you experience the exhibition in an accessible way.

Open the hatches!
You will learn more about puppets.

A puppet has no brain and no nerves.
Puppeteers move the puppet.

A puppet usually has no teeth.
It has teeth only
if it is angry
or if it is an animal.

A puppet has organs only
if the play needs them.

Usually the puppet's clothes are fixed to its body.
If a puppet must change clothes,
the puppet maker makes several puppets.

A theatre puppet sometimes has four fingers.
Sometimes it has no fingers at all.
A puppet's hand can also be like a ball.