The original Jim Henson the Kermit puppet has been donated to the Smithsonian . Fifty-five years after debuting on a Washington television station , the original Kermit the Frog puppet was donated Wednesday to the Smithsonian 's National Museum of American History . 10 other puppets from 1955 to 1961 show `` Sam and Friends '' were also donated . The puppets were donated by the family of Jim Henson . `` Sam and Friends '' aired from the 1950s .
The original Jim Henson the Kermit puppet has been donated to the Smithsonian . 10 other puppets from 1955 to 1961 show `` Sam and Friends '' were also donated . The puppets were donated by the family of Jim Henson . `` Sam and Friends '' aired from the 1950s .