The Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry is Storrs' most distinctive sight. Its exhibitions draw on a large puppetry collection and UConn's long-running Puppet Arts program, covering stage puppets, masks, toy theatre, shadow work, and the craft behind performance.
It is small, free, and easy to pair with a campus walk. The subject matter is more serious and more varied than the word "puppetry" may suggest, and the museum is a good reminder that theatre history includes many forms beyond actors on a bare stage.