If your child has ever wished their favourite teddy bear, bunny or Disney plushie could have a ‘night at the museum’ adventure, now’s their chance. The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo has announced an open call for anyone wanting to send off their beloved plushie for a week to adventure among real artworks.
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Here’s how it works: The museum will select 20 stuffed animals from an applicant pool that regularly reaches 1,000, adopting them as ‘special guests’ for an overnight adventure that lasts from November 7–9 to 11–16. They’ll roam the MOMAT Collection Gallery, pose for playful snapshots with paintings and sculptures, and spend the night in the museum’s hallowed halls. After the sleepover, a professional photographer compiles the photos of each plushie into a keepsake album and mails it to the soft toy’s owner, turning an ordinary stuffed animal into a certified art critic.
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This playful initiative is part of a broader program, supported by the Adobe Foundation, aimed at giving kids more chances to explore museums and experience art. Applications will be taken from October 14 to October 28 and, again, only 20 lucky plushies will be selected for the autumn sleepover. If your child’s favourite stuffed friend makes the cut, be sure they’re ready to part with it for a few days, and bring it to the museum in person. For the application form and full details, head to the event website.
Applications are only open for the stuffed animals of junior high school students and younger children. The toys need to be between 10cm and 100cm in size.
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