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    National Comedy Center

    4.8 (104 reviews)
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    Mary C. S.

    We finally went here with 2 friends in from out of town. A lot of exhibits and artifacts in a small amount of space. Every inch is used wisely. Allow time to really inspect each exhibit as many have audio or video components. Numerous artifacts from comedy legends, including many of Carl Reiner's Emmys. When with other people, it would be best to strike out on your own as not everyone will be interested in the same comedians. Otherwise, you week be waiting around for your traveling companions or trying to catch up to them. No parking on site -- use nearby parking lots or street parking.

    Daviyion J.

    I had a fantastic visit here and definitely recommend checking it out at least once if you're in the area or just a big fan of comedy. that only is Jamestown home of Lucille Ball, but this now leading center for the comedic arts has a wide diversity and representation of comedy across the generations. Check them out and be sure to create your comedy profile so at the end, you'll get a sense of what you really like and maybe discover some new favorites along the way.

    National Comedy Center
    Aly W.

    I came with one of my kids last week. What a fun, interactive, and even educational place. Very nostalgic, too. As others have said, you receive a wristband that allows you to build a profile and interact with exhibits. There's a Johnny Carson special introduced by an impressive Jimmy Fallon hologram in a theater with multiple screens showing off the museum's technological capabilities that continue to WOW from there. Here's a list of some of the activities: 1. The stand-up lounge where you interactive with tables and personalized content is projected on a brick wall. 2. Comedy karaoke in a cozy lounge adjacent to a bar sponsored by Southern Tier brewing where you perform on stage. 3. Small studios in which you reenact scenes from TV and movies like Dumb and Dumber. The wristband will only save a screen cap and not the video though. 4. A big room with 3D props you place on a table and pick scenes to watch incorporating those props. 5. A big wall in that same room that allows you to trace connections between comics and comedic performances. 6. A table that allows you to pick a script and read it while the scene plays. And that's just a small part of the content and activities available. We spent four and a half hours here. You could come back and have a different experience every time. I'm not sure how often they update content, but it definitely doesn't end at the year the museum opened, and everything is well-kept. I only had minor quibbles like being sent only our own photos instead of a side by side with the performers whose faces we imitated. Either take a picture of the screen or have fun tracking down the picture later. Oh, lots of friendly staff to help. It was busy but never felt crowded. Parking is tricky. It's down the street across from the light. You'll see a sign on one side that appears to point at restricted apartment parking but the real lot is just passed it, and smallish so you may have to find street parking instead.

    Amanda H.

    Wow. This museum exceeded my expectations by 100%. Insanely interactive and personalized to your unique sense of humor, this museum will have you learning while you laugh. We could have easily spent 3 hours here. The amount of information and history packed into this space is incredible. You use the wristbands to customize your experience by choosing different comedians, movies, and tv shows you like. There are different stations where you scan your wristband to interact. You can even draw your own comic cartoon! There are plenty of hand sanitizer stands and wipes for headphones so you don't have to hesitate using something. Speaking of cleanliness, their restrooms were also nicely kept. Tony in the lounge area was also a true gem. He actually approached us while we were browsing the museum and offered to bring us a drink to enjoy while we walked around (they have a decent variety of options including beer and canned mix drinks). When we finally made it to the lounge area he was happy to serve us, as well as serving up some jokes, and told us a little about the museum and their events. At the end, you scan your wristband to analyze your humor profile. It sends your results to your email! This museum was the perfect way to spend a rainy day while we were on vacation. Highly highly recommend. We went on a weekday around noon so it was pretty quiet aside from a few other people.

    The Seinfeld Puffy Shirt
    Steven B.

    What better way to celebrate April Fools Day than to check out the National Comedy Center in Jamestown, NY, which is about a 2 hour drive from my home. Easy to find in Downtown Jamestown, there are street signs to help find the NCC. They have a dedicated parking lot nearby, small and a bit rough, but free and a couple minutes walk from the center. The Center provides a free coat check at the entrance, which is convenient. I had purchased a ticket online the night before (which provides a bit of a discount) so getting in was quick and efficient. You get a wrist wrap that activates the interactive exhibits and you start by making a profile on one of the kiosks by entering your information and preferences. Once inside you have the choice of watching the video presentation on Laugh-In or The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. The theater has screens that surround you and provide a very interesting experience. Outside of the theater are a bunch of exhibits, including costumes, the Tonight Show Curtain and other comedy artifacts. As you move through the Center there are numerous interactive exhibits that show clips of Comedians, TV shows and other pieces of comedy. The Center is set up to be more interactive the further you go with one of the highlights being the huge video wall that allows you to trace the connections between comedy stars. Plenty of individual interactive exhibits and also a good number of group experiences. Especially interesting is the Blue Room which features more adult and challenging humor, of course adults only. There are features on Carlin, Lenny Bruce, Roasts, and a wall of different windows and doors hiding various blue materials. I spent about 5 hours going through the Center and could have spent a lot more time. There is plenty to see and experience here. A lot of fun, a great way to get more knowledge of comedy or to reexperience older comedy. If you are a comedy fan this is a must visit if you are in the area. I will say that the Center leans fairly heavily on Stand-Up, improv and Late Night Comedy but it is well worth your time.

    Interactive!
    Michael G.

    Never met a museum we didn't like and the National Comedy Center delivers! The interactive part of the museum is 5* alone! Make sure you make a reservation. The museum is busy, the city is busy, and there is also The Lucy Museum. Jamestown is her birth town. How Jamestown is the home to two stellar museums must be a great story. Allow some time. We stayed for four hours in the midst of our trip, and we could have taken an entire day. They do have two-day passes that can be purchased. Excellent all-around!!

    Sara P.

    It is hard to say more than has already been said in previous reviews about this incredible museum.  Highly interactive, the wristbands help cater to each individual and their likes and preferences.  A wide variety of comedy genres from TV, to movies, to cartoons, to stand up they have a little bit of everything and something for everyone.  I definitely recommend a visit here. Hopefully that is enough to pique your interest, so onto some pragmatics.: They had a free coat check which was nice as we visited during the colder months.   They did sell food, but it was right at the end, you could jump ahead and come back if needed.  Also it didn't appear to be a lot, mainly snacks, think cheesesticks, individual bags of chips, and maybe some premade sandwiches.   The dual ticket with the Lucy/Desi museum did allow us to use on separate days which worked better for our trip.  It would be easy enough to visit both, especially if starting at opening at 10 or 11, but could be spread out to the next day. If you like to laugh, stop on by to this great museum!

    George Carlin section
    Jenny G.

    We spent an hour and a half here and wish we had had more time. Needed at least three hours to go through the entire exhibit, probably the whole day to get everything out of it. It's incredibly interactive and made me smile and laugh through the whole exhibit. It is a bit expensive to visit but if you spend all of the time here it would be worth it. People of all ages can get something out of it. I do wish the signage was clearer when you parked because the signs pointed us to the Lucy and Desi museum but this one is essentially across the street.

    Jess R.

    This place was amazing. Went with my family on vacation while in the Chautauqua Lake area. When we got there, we signed in at the entrance and was given an interactive wristband to wear. Even my 2 yr old stepson was given one. Then, you went to a kisok and set up a profile that would help you see different things you would enjoy at interactive stations. You picked favorite tv shows, movies, comedians, etc. It was pouring rain when we went, so my profile picture looks like I had water dumped on my head multiple times. As you walk around the museum, you see various memorabilia from different comedies and comedians from the past 100 yrs. It even has information on some comic strips and cartoons. Some of the interactive areas include create memes, copying different poses comedians have done, trivia, games to play against others, creating scenes from movies and a mini comedy club where you can perform a clip from your favorites. There were many other activities as well. The mini club had a few items to buy. We got drinks and some chips/pretzels. It was a slow weekday, so when the 2 yr old took the mic, he had a ball just yaking away. The bartender Tony (Anthony) even asked what his name was, and when he found out it was the same name, he understood why we kept saying it. He was like I was wondering why I kept hearing my name. He was terrific! He clapped and cheered for the 2yr old and said great job. He had no problem with the kid running around - he even played along when we told him he was a good boy too. If Tony is at the bar - you will be treated like gold! Upstairs they have a NSFW area which you could see different things and hear George Carlin jokes in their full glory. They have stations where you can watch every roast! I can't wait to go back again...even after spending hours there, I know I missed things!

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    We had a wonderful visit. The museum is very interactive and has something for every age group.

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    Great experience, loved our visit. Highly recommend, you won't walk away without reliving some wonderful memories and great laughs.

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    Ask the Community - National Comedy Center

    Review Highlights - National Comedy Center

    There is a "Blue Room" which is located on a separate floor for those of you who enjoy more risqué comedy (Lenny Bruce).

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    Roger Tory Peterson Institute - Curator, Maria Ferguson, discussing a recent exhibit.

    Roger Tory Peterson Institute

    (4 reviews)

    Stunning building surrounded by nature and a must see for any nature enthusiast. I visited during…read moreDoors Open Jamestown and was really impressed with the friendly staff and how beautifully the collections were displayed. RTPI is a museum, and also has a gift shop and looks like it could be used for special events too. The museum is home to the largest collection of Roger Tory Peterson's work. Roger Tory Peterson illustrated field guides on identifying birds. He was also a talented photographer. The majority of the museum featured nature photography by Thomas D. Mangelsen which were very interesting to look at as well. The upstairs is accessible by stairs and elevator, and there was an interesting video playing about spiny soft shell turtles living in the Chadakoin River in Jamestown. Overall I really enjoyed the 40 minutes we spent here, and I would love to come back again one day!

    If you have a thirst for knowledge of the outdoors, nature, wildlife, the flora, fauna or…read moreparticularly of birds, the Roger Tory Peterson Institute is the place. Not only does it store a wealth of information, it's one of the most drop dead gorgeous of structures both in design as well as in décor. Named after world famed ornithologist, author and naturalist, Roger Tory Peterson, a native of Jamestown, New York, it is this institute that personifies his life's work in which he not only won every major award in his field but also furthered it with such striking innovations as the Peterson Identification System, known for its clarity with specific delineations of bird markings. In my mind, Roger Tory Peterson was the greatest, most gifted ornithologist and naturalist ever and, just one heck of a nice guy; a perfect gentlemen in the most classical sense of the term who I was fortunate enough to have personally known and spoken with on numerous occasions as we both resided not that far from each other and shared similar heritages as well as interests. The displays and art work layouts of this institute couldn't have been better done, many of which are in fact breath taking and others mentally impacting such as a display of the once thriving passenger pigeon that were so numerous in numbers their flights blackened the skies but now, as a result of what was actually commercial hunting and conservational ignorance, now totally extinct. So, if you have any naturalist or ornithological interests, the Roger Tory Peterson Institute is a must.

    Fenton History Center Museum And Research Center - View of Fenton History Center

    Fenton History Center Museum And Research Center

    (2 reviews)

    There's a lot to see at the Fenton History Center! Spread out among multiple floors, plan to spend…read moreabout an hour (or longer) here. The ground level contained a gift shop, several rooms with antique furniture, and a room that contained a timeline of Jamestown and Chautauqua county history as well as locally made items. Some of the exhibits upstairs included a furniture room, an upside down Christmas tree, a toy room, observation tower, Lucille Ball photographs, and more. Some of the exhibits on the lower level (basement) included an old kitchen, Swedish Roo, Underground Railroad information, and farming tools. There were docents spread throughout the museum, and QR codes to watch videos on the items in each room. Overall worth the visit!

    There is something here for everyone. Woman's suffrage, slavery, local history, tools, trains. The…read moreRed Cross, and war time. A lot of information on the forming of the town of Jamestown. Great place to spend an afternoon. This is a self-guided tour. Once you pay your $10 you're on your own. Con's - there has to be something bad about every place you go. Here there are a lot of stairs. There is no way to maneuver most of the building if you cannot do the stairs. No elevator. I went in July, it was so hot in the building. Might want to try it in the winter time. Also the lighting is poor. Lots of things to read, but could not see what was written on the cards. wanted to know more about sometimes, but there was no information on and no one to ask.

    National Comedy Center - nonprofit - Updated May 2026

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