Tove Jansson and the Moomins: The Door Is Always Open | Brooklyn Public Library
Celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Moomins at the Central Library!
Celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Moomins at the Brooklyn Public Library’s Central Branch! Created by Finnish artist, Tove Jansson (1914-2001), the wise, whimsical, hippo-like characters have been delighting readers of all ages since their debut in 1945!
Tove Jansson and the Moomins: The Door Is Always Open is a fascinating exhibition featuring immersive installations, archival materials, and, of course, lots of books by Jansson, for both children and adults. It covers Jansson’s life, career, and artwork, which extends far beyond her children’s books. The expansive exhibit starts in the library’s lobby, spans the children’s wing, and continues upstairs on the second-floor mezzanine.
Jansson introduced the world to the adorable Moomin family – friendly, adventurous, and curious creatures – when she was 25, with the book The Moomins and the Great Flood. The book was the artist/author’s response to the horrors of World War II. Jansson wanted to create an escape, and Moominvalley, the home of the Moomins, proved to be an imaginative refuge. The book, and the subsequent follow-ups, focus on family, friendship, home, belonging, and nature.
The charming Moomin books have delighted readers across the world (translated into 60+ languages) and led to television programs, stage shows, toys, tableware, textiles, a daily comic strip for The Evening News in London, and even a brand partnership with Finnair. The Moomins universe grew so overwhelming that Jansson founded Moomin Characters in 1958 with her brother to manage the licensing of Moomins merchandise. She continued to write and illustrate books about the characters until her 60s, publishing her final Moomin book in 1970.
Born in Helsinki in 1914, Jansson was the eldest of three children in a bohemian household. Her father was a sculptor, and her mother supported the family as an illustrator. Jansson began contributing to the family’s finances as a teen by illustrating magazine and book covers. She went to Sweden in 1930 to study ceramics, painting, and drawing. She returned to Finland in 1933 and studied at the Helsinki Art Society at the Finnish National Gallery. In the late 1930s, she went to Paris to study at L'École des Beaux-Arts.
Along with creating the magical world of Moomins, Jansson’s art practice included painting, portraiture, murals, public art, illustrations, book covers, comic strips, textiles, and ceramics. She was also a prolific writer who penned novels, short stories, poems, song lyrics, and an opera libretto. She published her first book when she was 19 and her final at 84.
In 1955, Jansson met her life partner, Tuulikki Pietilä, at a Christmas party. Pietilä was a graphic artist, educator, and writer. The women quickly fell in love and proudly lived together, despite the fact that homosexuality was considered a crime in Finland until 1971. The couple often collaborated and lived happily without conforming to the traditional societal roles of the time.
Jansson is one of Finland’s most celebrated artists. Many of her paintings are exhibited at the Helsinki Art Museum. The Moomin Museum in Tampere, Finland is dedicated to the artist and her beloved Moomin characters. It features a permanent exhibition of more than 2,000 of Jansson’s original illustrations and various Moomin tableaux. To commemorate the Moomins’ 80th anniversary, the museum is hosting a special exhibit that showcases a model of the Moominhouse, the Moomin family’s cozy home where “the door is always open” and all are welcome. Jansson and Pietilä constructed the six-foot-tall, five-story model with their artist friends in 1979.
For those of us who can’t make it to Finland this summer, the Brooklyn Public Library’s engaging exhibition will definitely delight visitors both young and old.
Bonus Birthday Celebration! Saturday, August 9 marks Jansson’s birthday and the Brooklyn Public Library is hosting a party! Head over to the Dweck Center auditorium between 1-3pm to enjoy screenings of two Moomin short films as well as other family-friendly festivities! Find more info at bklynlibrary.org.
Tove Jansson and the Moomins: The Door Is Always Open
Brooklyn Public Library, Central Library
10 Grand Army Plaza, Brooklyn
On view June 28 - September 30, 2025