National Comedy Center — Attraction in Jamestown

I have been waiting for this for a long time. I'm only in Jamestown in the Spring, and there's never much going on at that time, so when I heard this was opening in the Fall of '18, I've had my calendar marked. I also listen to the Benington Show on SiriusXM, and they talk about The Comedy Center constantly, so my excitement and anticipation level has only grown. I was almost worried that I had set my bar of expectation too high...

Nonsense!

It EXCEEDED my super-high expectations! This is a superb experience from the second I walked in (I was literally the first person in the door), until the second I had to leave (Could not stay as long as I'd have liked, but I will be back). I'm not even sure where to begin. Even the use of space was amazing. The re-purposing of an old train station was brilliant, and the gift shop (last stop before the exit) showcases the restoration of the space. The exhibits were incredibly interactive, and the customization of the experience via the wristband was super clever.

There is literally too much to try and explain, but plan to spend a minimum of 5 hours here, and that still won't be enough time to fully interact with every exhibit. I also like the fact that there is a high "re-visability" factor involved (I think I just made that word up, but it's totally applicable). I can easily envision going back and having an almost entirely different experience based on the amount of variables at many of the exhibits, as well as the ability to customize your experience at the kiosk at the entrance.

A couple practical matters. It is no fault at all of the Comedy Center's, but parking is a little inconvenient. There are decks, but the meters need fed every 3 hours (I spoke to an employee, and they stated that it used to worse, but the city added an hour). Apparently there are red meters on a side street that have 12 hour parking available, but I didn't see those. Plan on having someone from your party having to head out at least one time to feed the meter. I would also recommend adding a FAQ to the website. I did not see (which doesn't mean it's not there, rather that it wasn't easy for me find, and I looked) it mentioned anywhere on the site that there is a bar, as well as a small selection of food if you need to have lunch or dinner. There are plenty of restrooms available, and they were super clean.

Other than the slight inconvenience of the parking situation (and I was told that the situation will soon be remedied), this is pretty much a perfect experience. If you love (or even just enjoy) comedy, this is literally the Comedy Mecca. You MUST make...

I'm giving the Comedy Center 5 stars but with specificity. There might be a misconception that this is a place to go and watch non-stop comedy entertainment but it's not. What you're going to experience is an explanation and descriptions of a broad range of comedy styles, comedy techniques and in many cases personal explanations from the performers of how and why they do what they do and their evolution in the business. That said, there are hundreds and skits and clips to watch from almost every style of comedy you can imagine and the technology behind displaying and tailoring your personal experience here is all in your hands. It's truly fascinating. I would suggest to get the most of your experience to visit in two different segments of time. Because once you pay admission the place is yours for the day. Spend a minimum of two (I'd suggest 3) hours exploring the exhibits. Sit down and read and understand the displays, ask for help. There's no shortage of staff and that's what they're there for. The kiosks with display monitors and seating alone with take a couple hours. Don't try and stay attached at the hip if you're going with others. Pick a time to meet and go explore. Once you're satisfied with that part, go have lunch or supper, relax and enjoy yourself. Maybe have a drink at the bar in the back of the Comedy Center. Brazil is an excellent place to eat and it's within walking distance. Now, if you have a group of people this is the fun part. Come back and do some stand-up, yes you can get the experience of performing of stage. They have scripted reads or just go free style. You can also be apart of a TV show, fill in your face and read along. It's a blast!! I wouldn't recommend this place for kids under say 12yo. There's really not that much for them or apreciate. If you've ever done any sort of stand-up or just enjoy telling jokes and entertaining friends with comedy, you're going to be enthralled with the National...

This was a unique experience. First, plan ahead. It's pretty expensive and at times it gets crowded so you will need a reservation to get in. We came on the big eclipse weekend, but fortunately arrived early enough to get in without waiting. Be prepared to skip over entire exhibits without guilt (especially the mini-theaters with seats). There is tons of video and not enough time to watch a fraction of it. Skip the Laugh-In theatre at the beginning. Know that the museum starts with old stuff and moves chronologically. If you're under 70, I suggest working your way backwards from the end. Make sure you leave plenty of time for the modern room with all the memes. There are tons of interactive exhibits. Some have a learning curve, but overall the technology works surprisingly well. Our biggest disappointment was that you fill out this long questionnaire at the beginning to indicate your tastes and preferences, but this really doesn't come into play (although the effort is there). For example, I indicated all of these nuanced tastes but when I was in a viewing room with other people it always somehow seemed to select "farce" or "slapstick" and then I had to watch some dopey clip of Chris Farley or The Three Stooges. Where is my Norm Macdonald and Steven Wright? Is it all just random? Overall it was a fun way to spend a few hours. Our favorite part was the participatory elements where you competed against a friend to make each other laugh, or the studio where you can do live stand-up. Sadly these were all the way at the end (literally on the way out) so we had already used up our time watching clips from Seinfeld, The...