John Kodet opened his small Harlem penny arcade in 1913, and by 1917 it was known as The Harlem Arcade Nickelodeum Museum. The museum was at its opening one of the last of its kind in New York City, as Huber’s Museum on 14th Street had previously closed in 1906. John Kodet began in the museum business as a boy under Professor Worth in the old Worth’s Dime Museum, which later became Huber’s Museum. Known as “Lame” John Kodet because of a clubfoot, the showman built his museum from many exhibits acquired from shuttered dime museums including Worth’s, Huber’s, The Eden Musee, and John Starin’s Museum. At its apex the Harlem venue expanded to 10,000 square-feet, and featured live entertainment of freaks and novelty performers from all over the world as they passed through or wintered in New York City. Kodet also conducted a lively trade in buying and selling all manner of curios, taxidermy, and museum exhibits. Kodet’s establishment closed temporarily in 1924 due to his illness. But surprisingly, another dime museum, Hubert’s Museum And Flea Circus opened on 42nd Street the following year for a 40-year run. The connection between Kodet’s and Hubert’s are many, the most obvious being that both combined a penny arcade with a dime museum. Reopened in about 1929 by a astrologist and mentalist Madam Zenda– real name Lillian T. Sterling– and operated by manager Charles Rubinstein who later took over full ownership in about 1933 with showman and elephant trainer Otis L. Smith, the museum appears to have continued operations through 1935. In 1930 beside the normal museum attractions, the expansive space also featured Harry Jap’s Shooting Gallery; the Lung-Testing Device operated by Professor Gus (aka George Birch, aka Clawhammer Gus); Ralph The Expert Checker Player; Max’s Hot-Lunch Emporium; and Eddie Bernard’s Japanese Ball Game. (To be continued………)