Felicity's World: The Changnon Family Museumof Toys and Collectibles Pop-Up Exhibit at Colonial Williamsburg
A message from Blake Changnon, founder, president, and CEO of The Changnon Family Museum of Toys and Collectibles:
This past weekend marked one of the proudest moments in the history of The Changnon Family Museum of Toys and Collectibles.
Our newest pop-up exhibit, "Felicity's World," opened for one day at the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg, bringing Felicity Merriman's story back to the very place that inspired it.
For three hours, visitors explored original Pleasant Company and American Girl dolls, outfits, accessories, books and rare historical artifacts that traced Felicity's journey through all six of her original stories. The exhibit also highlighted the unique partnership between Pleasant Company and Colonial Williamsburg, showcasing artifacts from the “Felicity Elegant Tea Party” from 1991 and “Felicity in Williamsburg: An American Girl Experience” that took place in 1996 through the early 2000s.
The response was incredible. Throughout the morning, I had the opportunity to meet visitors from across the country, hear their memories of growing up with Felicity, answer questions about Pleasant Company, and watch a new generation discover her story for the very first time. By the end of the exhibit, we welcomed 247 visitors! One of my favorite moments was meeting a young fan of both American Girl and my museum, Riley, who asked me many questions, told me the American Girl stories she has read and even drew a picture for me!
Standing in Colonial Williamsburg, surrounded by the history that inspired Felicity and sharing this collection with so many passionate visitors, was a full-circle moment I will never forget.
Thank you to Colonial Williamsburg, the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg, Rebecca Starkins Godzik, Michelle Smith and everyone who stopped by the exhibit, and, of course my husband Alex, and best friend, Ashley, who helped make this weekend possible. Thank you for helping preserve and celebrate the remarkable legacy of Pleasant Company and American Girl.