When my family walked into the National Comedy Center, it occurred to me that finding comedy that appeals to parents and their children equally is not easy. (“Barbie” is a rarity.) But within seconds, my wife and I looked at each other with the wide-eyed realization that the center has found an ingenious way of solving the comedy-is-subjective problem: by personalizing the experience.
The result is an easy 75-minute drive and day trip to Jamestown that will please every member of the family, especially kids and teens. It plunges you into an immersive space of audio and video—even before buying your tickets.
The front desk staff outlined the ins and outs of the center for us and provided both adult and kids maps, while explaining a key step in our journey: creating a “Sense of Humor” profile at the kiosks nearby. (Our smiling faces soon appeared on nearby video screens, much to my kids’ delight.)
The profile is connected to the Laughband on your wrist. When it’s scanned at exhibits throughout the center, kids will see and hear the comedy they love, and that mom and dad approve of.
Clearly, interactivity is key; children and adults truly become part of the action. There is even a stage for live stand-up comedy.
“This is so much more than a museum—it’s an immersive experience,” says Journey Gunderson, National Comedy Center executive director. “Young people can come here to gain an appreciation for comedy’s great icons and innovators, but this is—more broadly—a museum that is about sparking creativity and celebrating self-expression.”
My daughter spent time creating some genuinely funny memes, while my son adored watching clips from movies he’s heard me rave about, like “Beverly Hills Cop.” Both kids, however, had a clear favorite part of the visit: stepping in front of a green screen and becoming part of the classic sitcom “I Love Lucy” and a mom-and-dad favorite, “Anchorman.”
Best of all, they were even intrigued by multimedia exhibits dedicated to titans of comedy Johnny Carson and Carl Reiner. It was a reminder that great humor is never out of date.
“Comedy connects us, it bonds us,” says Tom Benson, president of the National Comedy Center Board of Directors. “When we are all laughing together, the boundaries melt away. There is nothing better than watching grandparents and parents at the National Comedy Center introduce their kids and grandkids to a comedian they love at our interactive Comedy Continuum wall, or watching kids introduce their parents to an artist that they love on TikTok.”
It’s also worth noting that the Lucy Desi Museum—honoring the late, great Jamestown native, Lucille Ball—is just three blocks from the National Comedy Center, which is open Thursday through Monday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
“The National Comedy Center is the Cooperstown of Comedy, the Rock Hall of Comedy,” says Benson. “This is a world-class, award-winning attraction right here in Western New York—essentially in your own backyard. If you haven’t visited yet, you’re really missing out.”
On the way home, my kids took turns telling jokes to my wife and I that were dispensed onto little slips of paper before we exited. “Maybe this is how Carson got started,” I told them. And thanks to the National Comedy Center, they actually knew who I was talking about. That’s a big win, and it’s one of the reasons we’ll be visiting again.
