Summer Adventures 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:
Thank you to everyone who joined us yesterday at the Connie Morella Library for our newest pop-up exhibit, “Summer Adventures with American Girl.” It was such a joy to spend the afternoon sharing another part of the museum’s collection and celebrating the stories that have made American Girl so meaningful to generations of readers.
This exhibit explored the “summer story,” or fifth book, in the original six-book journeys of the American Girl Historical Characters. From adventures close to home to journeys into unfamiliar places, these stories challenged each character to step outside her comfort zone, face difficult situations and discover that courage can take many different forms.
Bringing these stories together in one exhibit was a wonderful reminder of just how much storytelling was woven into the dolls, clothing, accessories and playsets created to accompany the books. Each object helped children step more deeply into a character’s world and imagine what it might have been like to experience a summer adventure in another time and place.
One of my favorite parts of these pop-up exhibits is seeing visitors recognize an object they once owned, remember a story they loved or discover something about American Girl they never knew before. Thank you to everyone who stopped by, shared memories, asked questions and spent part of your Sunday exploring the collection with us.
I am especially grateful to the Connie Morella Library and its staff for once again welcoming the museum and helping make these community exhibits possible. A special thank you to my husband, Alex, for all of his help and support before, during and after the exhibit. These pop-ups truly would not be possible without him.
Although our “Summer Adventures” have come to an end, there is much more ahead for The Changnon Family Museum of Toys and Collectibles. We look forward to continuing to preserve and share the history, stories and objects that have inspired generations.
Thank you for another wonderful day, and stay tuned for where the museum’s collection will travel next!