National Cartoon Museum

Illustration of the museum during itsPort Chester era.
Established	1974
Dissolved	2002
Location	As theMuseum of Cartoon Art: Stamford, Connecticut, thenGreenwich, Connecticut thenPort Chester, New York; AsNational Cartoon Museum/International Museum of Cartoon Art: Boca Raton, Florida
Type	The collection, preservation and exhibition ofcartoons,comic strips andanimation
Collection size	200,000 original drawings 20,000 comic books 1000 hours of film and tape
Curator	Gary Hood (1996)

TheNational Cartoon Museum was an American museum dedicated to the collection, preservation and exhibition ofcartoons,comic strips andanimation. It was the brainchild ofMort Walker, creator ofBeetle Bailey. The museum opened in 1974, and went through several name changes, relocations, and temporary closures, before finally closing for good in 2002.

Originally known as theMuseum of Cartoon Art, the name was changed to theNational Cartoon Museum when it moved toBoca Raton, Florida, in 1992.^[1] In 1996, it became theInternational Museum of Cartoon Art.^[2]

In June 2008, Walker's collection was merged with theBilly Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum, affiliated withOhio State University inColumbus, Ohio.

Walker began preserving cartoon artwork in the 1940s after he discoveredKing Features Syndicate usingKrazy Kat drawings to sop up water leaks.^[3] Walker lived inGreenwich, Connecticut, and in 1974, with a contribution of $50,000 from theHearst Foundation, he opened his museum nearby at 850 Canal Street inStamford, Connecticut.^[3][4] Two years later, the landlord decided he could rent the mansion for more, forcing a move to a space on Field Point Road in Greenwich, Connecticut.^{[citation needed]} Later, the museum occupiedWard's Castle, a large, dilapidated house inPort Chester, New York.

In late 1991 the city ofBoca Raton, Florida, invited Walker to relocate there,^[5] and the museum prepared to move in 1992.^[6]

While working to re-open, the museum was robbed ofDick Tracy andPrince Valiant originals, as well as someDisneyanimation cels.^[7] After acquiring more funding,^[8] and a donation ofDisney art fromDiamond Comic Distributors'Steve Geppi,^[9] the newly minted International Museum of Cartoon Art finally^[10] opened the doors to its new facility in 1996.^[11] Gary Hood was appointed director of curatorial affairs.^[12]

However, the museum did not attract enough donations and two corporate sponsors went bankrupt.^[3][13] In 1998, the Hearst Foundation again stepped in, giving the museum $1 million.^[14] Nonetheless, to pay off some of the debts (including outstanding mortgage payments),^[15] Walker auctioned off aMickey Mouse drawing in 2001 for $700,000.^[3][16] It was not enough, however;^[17] the museum was forced to close in 2002, and the collection was put into storage.

An attempt was made to relocate to three floors of theEmpire State Building in New York City in 2007, but the deal fell through for reasons that are disputed.^[18] Walker finally accepted an offer to merge his collection with that of Ohio State University in 2008.^[3][19]

The collection includes over 200,000 original drawings, 20,000comic books, 1000 hours of film and tape, and various other items. It consists almost entirely of donations from artists, includingChester Gould (Dick Tracy),Hal Foster (Prince Valiant),Bil Keane (Family Circus), political cartoonistJeff MacNelly,Mike Peters (Mother Goose and Grimm),Milton Caniff (Terry and the Pirates),Dik Browne (Hägar the Horrible),Stan Lee (Spider-Man),Rube Goldberg and others.^[3] According to the curators, it is valued at an estimated $20 million. Among its prized possessions is the first drawing of Mickey Mouse, byUb Iwerks for the character's film debut inPlane Crazy (1928).

Begun in 1974, the Hall of Fame was renamed theWilliam Randolph Hearst Cartoon Hall of Fame in 1997 after a sponsorship was provided by the Hearst Foundation.^[14] The 31 inductees, chosen by non-cartoonist authorities, are:

• Bill Blackbeard
• Fred Waring Cartoon Collection

• Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum
• International Museum of Cartoon Art

• Cartooning museums
• Defunct museums in Connecticut
• Defunct museums in Florida
• Defunct museums in New York (state)
• History of animation
• Art museums and galleries established in 1974
• Art museums and galleries disestablished in 2002
• 1974 establishments in Connecticut
• 2002 disestablishments in Connecticut

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