雲林縣是台灣布袋戲的故鄉，台灣布袋戲主流的傳統布袋戲、金光布袋戲、電視布袋戲，都可以在雲林縣找到它傳承與發展的歷史軌跡。二百多年前，傳統布袋戲隨著原鄉的藝師、劇團與家族，流傳到雲林縣後，便有許多世代的子弟，陸續參加傳承與表演的行列。
二百多年來，他們不止鍛鍊出精湛德的前場、後場表演技巧，並且因應時代的需要，創造新式技巧與內涵，尤其在金光戲、電視布袋戲上，更成為時代的領導者、開創人，他們的努力讓布袋戲表演風格和形式，涵具大量在地風味，成為台灣最具特色的表演藝術。
兩個世紀裡，雲林縣產生不少位極具表演風格的布袋戲大師:傳統布袋戲的黃馬、鍾任秀智；劍俠戲的黃海岱、鍾任祥；金光戲的黃俊卿、黃俊雄鍾任壁；電視布袋戲的黃文擇，而雲林縣兩個代表性的劇團-虎尾五洲園、西螺新興閣更是名滿全台，跟隨習藝的劇團，更高達數百團之多。
雲林縣政府為鼓勵台灣布袋戲的傳承與發展，特別設置布袋戲館，除向國內知名劇團徵求布袋戲不同時期的文物並聘請新興閣鍾任壁與專家學者 依照台灣布袋戲發展的演變，將文物編排陳列並撰寫合適的文字說明。
參觀布袋戲館，我們將可以瞭解台灣布袋戲發展的演變、雲林縣布袋戲藝師的成就與事蹟，並欣賞生、旦、淨、末、丑、雜，各式精美布袋戲偶、服飾頭盔等，台灣布袋戲的文物之美都可以在館內具體而微的瞭解與認識。
Yunlin County is the home of Taiwanese glove puppetry. The main streams of Taiwanese puppetry such as traditional puppetry ,golden -ray puppetry, and TV puppetry can all be traced back to Yunlin with regard to their historical legacy.
Two hundred years ago , traditional puppetry were brought from Mainland China into Yunlin. Since then, puppetry professionals have been continuously involved in the performance and heritage of this art.
After two centuries of legacy and development , the puppeteers not only have improved their performing skills ,but also have created new contents . Especially the golden-ray and TV puppetry ,they have become the forerunners in modern times. Due to their efforts, many local characteristics are integrated into the style and format of glove puppetry, seen as the most distinguished performing art in Taiwan.
A number of puppetry masters have established distinguished performing styles during the last two centuries. The Examples are Huang Ma and Chung Jen Hsiu-chih with traditional puppetry, Huang Hai-tai and Chung Jen-hsiang with chivalry puppetry ,Huang Chun-ching,Huang Chun-shiung and Chung Jen-pi with golden-ray puppetry, and Huang Wen-tse with TV puppetry. Meanwhile, the Wu Chou Yaun troupe in Huwei and the Hsin Hsing Ku troupe in Hsiluo , two puppet troupes in Yunlin , are well known all over Taiwan ,Hundreds of troupes have followed these two directions for learning glove puppetry.
To promote the Taiwanese puppetry, the Yunlin County Government established YPPM, solicited the artifacts of puppetry at different period from local renowned troupes , and invited Chung Jen-pi, key person of the troupe (Hsin Hsing ku), and other scholars for displaying these artifacts chronologically according to the history of Taiwanese puppetry.
In this exhibition area the tourists will understand the development of Taiwanese puppetry and the achievements of puppeteers in Yunlin. They will also appreciate a variety of puppets delicately portraying such characters as males, females, elders, and jesters ,as well as all kinds of stage properties such as costumes, head pieces,....Here the beauty of Taiwanese puppetry can be concretely and elaborately understood.
參考 台灣寺廟藝術館導覽手冊