The City of Tampere Participates in the Moomin 80th Anniversary Exhibition in New York

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3.7.2025 11.49

The hometown of the world's only Moomin Museum, Tampere, is a partner in the Moomin 80th anniversary exhibition in New York. From 28 June to 30 September 2025, the Brooklyn Public Library will host a grand exhibition offering an in-depth look into the life of Tove Jansson and the world of the Moomins. The library is organising the exhibition in collaboration with Moomin Characters, Moomin Arabia, Finnair, and the City of Tampere.

In the high lobby of the Brooklyn Public Library in New York, elements of a Moomin-themed exhibition are visible alongside visitors.

The newly opened New York exhibition, Tove Jansson and the Moomins: The Door is Always Open, is the first exhibition in the United States to showcase Tove Jansson's life and the world of the Moomins. It provides an in-depth exploration of Jansson's life and the world of the Moomins through texts, archival materials, books, and events.

It presents Jansson as an artist, writer and illustrator, and delves into her most famous works, the Moomin stories. In addition to the exhibition, the Brooklyn Public Library's programme includes reading sessions, animation screenings, and panel discussions.

Enhanced Visibility for the Moomin Museum and Tampere

2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the first Moomin story publication. To celebrate this anniversary, the city has signed a three-year partnership agreement with Moomin Characters.

“Our most important international contribution of the anniversary year is participation to this exhibition, through which we will promote internationally both the Moomin Museum and the City of Tampere. The Brooklyn Public Library exhibition is the first Moomin exhibition in the United States, and we are delighted to have the opportunity to share the world's only Moomin Museum with a new audience," says Iina Ojala, City Brand and Marketing Director.

In 1986, Tove Jansson donated a collection of Moomin art to the city of Tampere. The donation included original Moomin illustrations, drawings, books and dioramas, which are displayed in the Moomin Museum, located in Tampere Hall.

The Door is Always Open

JThe central theme of the anniversary year, and also of the Brooklyn Public Library's exhibition, is the Moominhouse and what it represents – a sense of belonging and a place where the door is always open.

The highlight of the Moomin 80 anniversary in Tampere is an exhibition about the Moominhouse and its construction. The exhibition Welcome to Moominhouse! opened in June at the Moomin Museum and will be open until 30 August 2026.

The museum also features the crown jewel of the collection: a 2.5-metre-high diorama of the Moominhouse. It was built by Tove Jansson, Tuulikki Pietilä and Pentti Eistola, and reminds us of the importance of play and creativity in the lives of both children and adults.