Back to School with American Girl Pop-Up Museum Exhibit
A message from Blake Changnon, founder, president, and CEO of The Changnon Family Museum of Toys and Collectibles:
I’m still buzzing from Sunday’s sold-out pop-up exhibit at the Connie Morella Library. “Back to School with American Girl” was everything I hoped for and more for our very first in-person exhibit.
From the moment the doors opened, the room filled with excited kids clutching their dolls, collectors reminiscing about their own childhoods, and families swapping school-day stories. Watching generations of Pleasant Company and American Girl fans connect over history, creativity, and childhood nostalgia reminded me exactly why I started The Changnon Family Museum of Toys and Collectibles.
I’m grateful beyond words to everyone who came, asked thoughtful questions, and lingered over the displays. Your smiles and stories made the months of planning worthwhile. Designing and writing the posters and arranging the displays to echo the original Pleasant Company catalogue spreads was pure joy. And seeing visitors notice those details was even better! The response was incredible and truly humbling. Because of the overwhelming enthusiasm, I’ll be adding the full exhibit to the museum’s website soon so more fans can experience it.
A heartfelt thank-you to the library staff, especially Rachel, the volunteers, and my wonderful, supportive husband, Alex, who helped bring this vision to life.
In the meantime, enjoy this short video tour of the exhibit and displays, filmed just before we opened the doors. More to come!