Honey, I'm home! Visit the Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz & National Comedy Center in Jamestown for Great Laughs!

Thanks to Chautauqua County Visitors Bureau for sponsoring our tickets to the National Comedy Center and the Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum. All thoughts are my own.

"Hello, friends, I'm your Vitameatavegamin girl! Are you tired, rundown, listless? Do you poop out at parties"

"Lucy, I'm home"

"You got some 'splainin' to do!"

These quotes and more are all famous lines from the TV series, I love Lucy, airing 1951–1957. Still in syndication, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz won the hearts of everyone with their comedic sitcom. Created, written, and developed by their own production studio and team, you can learn about the TV show and life of this famous couple in the Jamestown located Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz Museum.

If you have been following along on our Empire State road trip adventures, you know that our last stop was in Celoron, NY. Celoron, and neighboring Jamestown, are homes to Lucille Ball, the famous female comedian that may be one of the most influential women in the 19th century.

While born in Jamestown, Lucille Ball spent most of her childhood at Celoron's eighth street address, which is now known as Lucy Lane. While the property is no longer owned by her family, the current owners renovated the home to 1920s standards, much like what Lucille would have been in, the home is not opened to the public, but you can walk by to see it.

In between enjoying your respite at the Chautauqua Harbor Hotel, be sure to adventure out to learn more about the area and its attractions/ offerings to your family. The hotel concierge can help you if you haven't spent time googling in advance!

Jamestown is a unique town to explore as it includes Lakeview Cemetery (Lucille Ball's grave rests here), the National Comedy Museum, and the Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum, amid other local attractions such as the Roger Tory Peterson Museum of Natural History or Panama Rocks Scenic Park.

About 15 minutes away from the Chautauqua Harbor Hotel with a very easy drive, the Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz Museum highlights their lives, their family, and even houses many props, costumes, and set the family gave to the Museum after Lucy's death. We hopped into the car to head to learn more about her and then to later on, venture to the National Comedy Museum.

Tickets for the museums can be purchased online in advance, causing a minor savings, or they can be bought at the door. It is highly recommended that if you are planning to visit both, that you buy them together for savings. Our tickets, like most, were good for two consecutive days, so if you needed to leave and come back the next day, you certainly could do so.

Also be sure to purchase the photo opp of the I Love Lucy set. While it seems like it's not worth it, it is so much fun to be able to sit on the sofa and be around the props used on their original TV show set, especially if you know anything about the show!

There are two galleries in the Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz museum, which is pretty cool, because it separates the person from the TV series/ movies. Learn about how they met, how they started their own studio with live audience, and how their studio continued to be the production set for many future movies and TV series.

Many start with the sitcom side of Lucy's career, learning about the development and impact I Love Lucy had on the world. By chance, we started on the history side of Lucy and Desi. We learned about their roots, their families, and the way that they formed a family, then divorced later on.

It was very interesting to see home movies, items from their California home (such as their front door), and to see how they continued to work together despite difficulties in their personal relationship.

This side also features more of Lucy and Desi's career. I love Lucy is the most recognized, but both starred in many other movies during their film career as well.

In the I Love Lucy gallery, be sure to learn about the production of the I Love Lucy tv show, especially with the creation of the Three-headed Monster machine! Watch the interviews with their former team for special information on how they worked together and the shows were created. While I have no desire to be in film, I do find how its created interesting.

Each gallery could take up to an hour to browse, longer if you sit and watch all the movie clips and interact with the displays.

At the very end, don't leave without your photo opp! They took several photos of us (on our phones) in the original living room and kitchen set.

You can mimic some of the actions Lucy took, or Desi, if you so prefer. From the famous kitchen scenes to the finger pointing from Ricky, there are plenty of scenes to act out. The only furniture we could touch was the couch, though. Everything else had to be mimicked.

After this wonderful museum, you might want to grab a bite to eat. While we didn't venture into any of them, options might include Wicked Warren's Pizza & Beer, Labyrinth Press Co, Liscandro's, and the Taco Company.

The hotel concierge had a complete list available and knew most of the timings, but as always, check company socials or website for updated information as we know the restaurant industry changes so fast.

After wrapping up your tour of the Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum, head over to the National Comedy Center.

Starting with a personal profile, this center takes guests on a journey that highlights their own comedic tastes. Inputting your favorite actors, comedians, movies, and sitcoms helps create a unique experience that will strengthen your love for comedy.

It is very interactive, fun, entertaining, and suitable for all ages!

Learn about talk show comedy through the ages!

It probably takes around two hours to explore effectively, but could easily take a half day or more, depending on your comedic tastes and museum desires.

The exhibits in this venue take guests through the history of comedy and how it evolved as technology evolved.

From vaudeville, radio, stage, tv shows, and internet, there is a unique and exciting perspective that comedy brings to all individuals.

Draw your own comic cartoon! Not my strong suit :)

Learn about comedic strip drawing, delivering one- liners, script acting, stage presence and more!

Some of my favorite exhibits included learning about nuances take on TV sitcom strips, the history of memes, and watching my favorite sitcom lines/ scenes.

Do you remember this viral meme? It may live in our heads forever, much like the lamb chop song.

There are so many exhibits, though, that it's hard to pick just one!

If you prefer more adult comedy, there is a unique section on a different level to learn about comedians who pushed cultural, racial, and ethical boundaries. It is duly noted that if one becomes offended as the use of "adult" language, then this exhibit is not for you.

Adult comedy is located on a separate floor.

I fully appreciated it being on a different floor, as it means there is no accidental wandering. One has to intentionally get into the elevator, press the floor button, and scan your wristband before entering the exhibit. I went in to see what it's all about, and it was kind of interesting to see those who pushed boundaries about sex, family life, and even gender identity and how the public reacted to them.

What's your favorite sitcom?

Stage comedy, internet comedy, including Netflix, have grown immensely.

PS, scanning wristbands throughout the museum is common, as experiences are tailored to your own profile. So when an exhibit discusses movies, comedians, actors, or sitcoms, it usually brings in preferences related to your own profile.

Some might be mixed with the others using the exhibit too, but I do like this personal touch and feel the profiles bring. Also, be sure to pay attention as you pass through exhibits.

I randomly sat down on a bench to watch some older comedians and it happened to be a fart bench! There was no warning, but one of the staff who walked by told me its a favorite of hers because it catches people by surprise! I guess whoopee cushions are still funny!

Learn about your sense of humor at the end. This is only helpful if you remember to scan your band at each exhibit, though!

Before you leave the museum, be sure to play the games made for your family and friends to enjoy. Keep a straight face during the worst puns ever, act out a popular comedic scene for your personal enjoyment, and grab a joke or two to keep you entertained on the way out!

The 1974 Blazing Saddles pie-in-the face is a favorite of all!

I wasn't sure what to expect with the National Comedy museum, but I thoroughly enjoyed how the exhibits tell a story that entertains a whole world!

Of course, we can't leave without acting out the famous chocolate scene. So hilarious!

It's exciting to think of how entertainment and comedy have helped generations enjoy their daily life and it's exciting to think of how it will do so in the future! This is the perfect way to adventure into the life of Jamestown, especially on the rainy afternoon that we experienced!

I will leave you with a couple of jokes to go!

What's the difference between in-laws and outlaws?

Outlaws are wanted.

What do you call a sad strawberry?

A blueberry.

In the words of Fozzy the Bear, Wocka Wocka Wocka.

Check out our final post on what else to do around the Chautauqua Harbor Hotel too!

Want to visit?

Purchase tickets to the Lucille Ball Desi Arnax Museum and/ or the National Comedy Center! Purchase together and save!