I knew they'd end up there sooner or later. On Saturday, the Smithsonian Institution in Washington unveiled its latest exhibit: "Jim Henson's Fantastic World."

The exhibit features 14 of Henson's Muppet creations, including Bert and Ernie, Kermit the Frog, and others from the long-running Sesame Street. The exhibit is scheduled to remain at the Smithsonian until October, then leaves on a three-year tour to seven other cities.

"We're showing how he went from drawing to a cartoon to a puppet to a moving image," project director Deborah Maconic told the Associated Press.

Since the Muppet characters are subject to fading, they're being placed under special lighting and behind glass enclosures, treated as if they were historic treasures. "We consider every single thing in here to be precious," said Maconic. As well they should.

Sounds like something that could be turned into an episode of Sesame Street. Yeah, I can see it all now. Miss Piggy would want top billing and best placement, while Kermit sits in the back and strum his ukulele. I wonder if they're making Oscar the Grouch clean up his area. I've heard those Smithsonian folks are pretty fussy that way.