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Hello Kitty Exhibition

By Jessica Estrada
  • Photos: Jessica Estrada
  • The exhibition begins with the retrospective portion, which takes you back through four decades of Hello Kitty throwbacks. The first room features a vintage phone, plush dolls, and must-have school supplies. We also learn that Hello Kitty's full name is K
  • The first thing you see upon entering Hello Kitty's supercute world is the first Hello Kitty product ever made—an adorable tiny vinyl coin purse from 1975.
  • Here's a closer look at some of the too-cute Hello Kitty school essentials.
  • Venture into the next room to find more Hello Kitty memorabilia. The girl has her name and face on everything. Seriously, we're talking a curling iron, toilet paper, duck tape, a toaster, a coffee maker, a sewing machine, and much more. Fun fact: Her birt
  • You'll also encounter a talking Hello Kitty robot. She's fully equipped with voice recognition and a camera in her eyes so she can recognize and call her owner by name. Where can we get one of these?
  • Hello Kitty is pretty adventurous, too. She’s got her own surfboard, suitcases, skates, and skateboard.
  • Hello Kitty's sunny school-themed section. Remember those lunch boxes?
  • A closer look at Hello Kitty's sweet ride.
  • Backpacks for days!
  • The next room showcases a rad pink guitar and tons more Japanese-inspired souvenirs.
  • A glorious wall stacked with insanely adorable Hello Kitty goodies.
  • A pretty trail of bows leads you up to the contemporary art portion of the exhibition.
  • Here, we enter the art gallery, which is filled with Hello Kitty-inspired masterpieces from a diverse roster of artists.
  • "Hello Kitty in Bloom" by Michael Courville is made up of vintage flower pins.
  • "Hello Kitty Fanatic" by Junko Mizuno (2014).
  • "Pomme Party!" by Tado is among the crazy-cool artwork inspired by Hello Kitty's world.
  • Wild Hello Kitty dresses get their own section. Be sure to check out Lady Gaga's plush-toy covered number on the far right.
  • It's safe to say Hello Kitty is a celebrity in her own right.
  • Every room is bright and cheerful, which if fitting for a happiness ambassador.
  • Sitting atop a pyramid is this tiny Hello Kitty doll posed just like the one on the original coin purse. It's meant to remind guests that she's not just a pop culture icon. “Hello Kitty was created to bring happiness to the world,” says Janet Hsu, preside
  • Hello Kitty goes Egyptian: This giant fiberglass sculpture, dubbed "Kittypatra," is truly a sight to see.
  • This badass "Superfly Kitty" statue by Colin Christian serves as the grand finale to the exhibit.

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