Messengers of Peace:
100th Anniversary of Friendship Dolls between
Japan and the United States
Dates:
October 2026 - May 2027
Location:
Indiana University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
South Hall Gallery
416 N Indiana Ave
Bloomington, IN 47408
Lead Curator:
Fumi Arakawa, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Anthropology at Indiana University
This exhibition brings together five historic Japanese Friendship Dolls currently housed in the United States, along with one American doll that originated in Indianapolis that is part of a permanent collection at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis. Through the dolls themselves, archival materials, and personal stories, visitors will discover how communities in Japan and the United States exchanged these dolls in the 1920s as powerful symbols of international friendship.
The exhibition explores what happened to the dolls during World War II, how they survived periods of conflict and uncertainty, and how they continue to represent goodwill between the two nations today. Visitors are invited to reflect on the enduring power of cultural exchange and what these dolls can teach us about empathy, resilience, and global connection.
Messengers of Peace is made possible through generous support from the United States-Japan Foundation and the Toshiba International Foundation.
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