Exclusive Winternight Glow mug debuts at Moomin Museum on 26 September
The Moomin Museum will release a new Winternight Glow mug when the Moomin Mug Mania exhibition opens on 26 September; the design reproduces an original Tove Jansson gouache and will be sold exclusively at the museum for the first month.
According to the City of Tampere, when the Moomin Mug Mania exhibition opens on 26 September, the Moomin Museum will release a new Winternight Glow mug. The design reproduces an original Tove Jansson gouache and will be sold exclusively at the museum for the first month.
YLE adds that the museum has acquired a total of 4,500 mugs, based on a decision made in January. Communications specialist Heli Hakala said the run will be limited and that the exact number would not be publicly promoted. Hakala also described the release as “not primarily commercial”.
YLE reports that the Winternight Glow mug is intended to complement the museum’s 2017 Moominvalley mug, whose launch drew queues. According to the City of Tampere, the painting used for the mug was commissioned for the French cover of Moominland Midwinter in 1972. Moomin Arabia illustrator Parvati Pillai adapted the image for the cup, slightly adjusting the colour saturation to suit the mug’s shape. Visitors can see the original winter illustration at the museum’s Observatory for one month from 26 September, and Pillai will sign mugs at the opening between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. There will also be a pop-up shop outside so shoppers can buy the mug without an admission ticket. From 26 October the Winternight Glow items will appear through Moomin Arabia’s channels and selected retailers while stocks last.
YLE also notes that the museum’s social media post about the launch drew more than 2,000 likes within hours, which Hakala cited as a sign of strong public interest.
The temporary Moomin Mug Mania exhibition traces how Moomin mugs moved from everyday crockery to a global collector phenomenon, highlighting the pieces’ links to Tove Jansson’s original artworks and their role as symbols of the Moomins’ lifestyle and Finnish identity abroad. The release continues the city’s ongoing Moomin programme, following the city's push for a distinct Moomin offering and recent museum events that celebrated the Moomins in Tampere including a free Moomin birthday bash in August.
Earlier coverage
Catch the full story over at City of Tampere
