National Comedy Center

Visitors start by creating a humor profile, which is stored on an RFID wristband. Content is then tailored to their individual tastes, from slapstick to satire. You can take part in games or competitions, put yourself into an old comedy scene, or try your hand at skills such as comedy writing, creating a meme, cartooning, or even performing a live stand-up routine. More than 90% of the museum is interactive, but you can also see artifacts such as Charlie Chaplin’s cane and hand-written performance notes from George Carlin.

• The National Comedy Center is a must-visit for comedy fans.

• Don’t forget your camera; there are lots of great selfie opportunities.

• The Blue Room is restricted to visitors aged 18 and older.

• The center is wheelchair-accessible and also provides devices and services to assist the vision- and hearing-impaired.

The National Comedy Center is located in Jamestown, about 75 miles (121 kilometers) south of Buffalo. It can be reached via Interstate 90, I-86, or Route 60. Parking options include metered street parking, 2-hour free parking in the business zone, or paid parking lots and garages.

The National Comedy Center is open daily, and late hours on Fridays and Saturdays make it a great night-out option. To get the most out of your experience, allot 2.5–3 hours here. Changing the humor profile on subsequent visits will result in a difference experience.

One of the reasons the National Comedy Center is located in Jamestown is because it’s the hometown of comedy icon Lucille Ball, and the Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum is also located here. Devoted to everythingI Love Lucy, the museum features original costumes, props, portraits, photos, memorabilia, re-created sets (such as the Tropicana Room), awards, Lucy’s car, and more. Exhibits change on a regular basis.