This autumn, the Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art will host the Tove and Moomin Exhibition, a large-scale retrospective dedicated to Finnish author and artist Tove Jansson. Opening on October 1st, the exhibition celebrates the 80th anniversary of the first Moomin story, a beloved series that has charmed readers across generations and cultures.
Tove Jansson was born in 1914, and was more than the creator of the Moomins. She was a painter, illustrator, novelist, and caricaturist who navigated turbulent times while building a body of work defined by imagination and compassion. The exhibition will be held in collaboration with the Helsinki Art Museum, and brings together around 300 pieces, including her early oil paintings, wartime cartoons, and original sketches from the Moomin books and comics.
Visitors can explore how Jansson's art evolved and how her Moomin characters came to embody themes of acceptance, kindness, and the search for connection.
Running until November 24th, the exhibition offers a rare chance to see Jansson's works in Hokkaido. Tickets are available in advance and on the day, with discounts for students and repeat visitors. For families, admission is free for elementary school students and younger when accompanied by a guardian.
More details and ticketing information can be found on the official exhibition website.