Vent Haven Museum in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky

The Vent Haven Museum in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky

William Shakespeare Berger (1878-1972), a Cincinnati businessman and amateur ventriloquist, founded the museum that opened in 1973. And yes, Shakespeare was his actual middle name, not a nickname. Beyond collecting dummies, Berger ran the International Brotherhood of Ventriloquists and put out a magazine called The Oracle. Though he never performed professionally, he spent over 40 years building this collection because he truly loved the art form. His passion turned into what would become the only museum of its kind anywhere in the world.

Here’s a Bit of Backstory

The word “ventriloquism” comes from Latin “venter” (belly) and “loqui” (speak). In ancient times, people who practiced it were seen as religious figures who could understand stomach sounds, which they thought were voices of the dead used to predict future events.

This practice goes all the way back to ancient Greece and Rome. The famous Oracle of Delphi might have used early ventriloquism techniques. Over time, what started as spiritual practice changed into entertainment during the Middle Ages, when church officials began to call it demonic.

It All Began with Tommy Baloney

Berger bought him in New York City back in 1910, but Tommy just gathered dust in storage for 20 years until Berger finally brought him out at a holiday party.

Tommy had all the classic features you’d expect: wooden face with paint, eyes that moved, and a jaw you could make talk. Today when you visit, you’ll see Tommy in a special spot as the dummy that started it all. He’s like the granddaddy of the entire collection.

The Hitler Dummy That Stays Hidden Away

Among the thousand-plus dummies in the collection, there’s a Hitler figure that stays in storage and is never displayed.

Created during World War II, this figure comes from a time when performers used dummies for political commentary. The museum keeps careful records of all figures, including controversial ones like this.

Hundreds of Ventriloquists Gather Here in July

Every July, around 600 ventriloquists come together at the museum’s “ConVENTion” to learn new skills, watch performances, and enjoy each other’s company. You’ll find workshops for beginners and pros alike, competitions to show off skills, and amazing performances by the best in the business. People travel from as far as Australia and Japan just to attend.

The Red Monkey Worth More Than a Car

Want to see the most valuable piece in the collection? Look for the grinning red monkey dummy worth about $30,000. The incredible craftsmanship, with real fur, glass eyes, and complex mechanics that allow for multiple facial expressions are what make it so expensive.

A famous maker named Frank Marshall created it back in the 1930s, during ventriloquism’s golden age. The monkey has stayed in amazing condition all these years, and it once belonged to a well-known vaudeville performer, adding to its value.

How the Museum Outgrew Three Different Buildings

As Berger kept collecting more dummies, he needed more space. By 1947, he had to fix up his garage for extra storage, and by 1962, he built another building for his 350 dummies.

The museum completed a major renovation in 2023 with a completely new building that gives better space to show the dummies and tell their stories. Now there’s even a theater named after ventriloquist Jeff Dunham, who helped pay for it. The collection kept growing long after Berger’s death, doubling in size since the 1970s.

A Zombie Dummy That Falls Apart On Purpose

Among the many characters at the museum, one of the strangest is “Slappy the Zombie.” His performer, Nick Pawlow, created an act where Slappy’s body parts would fall off during shows.

Slappy looks just how you’d imagine a zombie: green-tinted skin, a jaw that drops all the way open, removable eyeballs, and detachable limbs. His costume is all torn up to complete the zombie look.

How a Legal Decision Saved the Entire Collection

When Berger passed away in 1972, he had no living heirs left. Following legal advice, he created a charitable foundation to keep his collection from being split up and sold off. This forward thinking saved what would become the world’s only ventriloquism museum.

The foundation board included several well-known collectors and ventriloquists who protected the collection’s integrity. Without this legal protection, these one-of-a-kind treasures might have ended up scattered in private collections around the world, never to be seen together again.

The Ventriloquist Who Wrote Fifty Letters Every Week

Beyond just collecting dummies, Berger wrote around 50 letters every week to ventriloquists all over the world. Through years of letter writing, he built a global community of performers.

His papers include letters from famous entertainers like Edgar Bergen and Paul Winchell. Over the years, Berger saved more than 20,000 pieces of mail that document how ventriloquism changed, business deals between performers, and personal stories from six decades of performers.

Plan Your Visit to Vent Haven Museum

The museum is located at 33 West Maple Avenue in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky, just a quick 5-mile trip south of Cincinnati.

You can visit from May 1 through September 30, 2025, but remember that you have to book ahead. No walk-ins allowed.

Tours cost $15 per person and typically last about an hour. During your visit, a guide will take you through the collection of over 1,000 ventriloquist figures, sharing stories and history along the way.