TICKETS FOR HELLO KITTY EXHIBITION AT JANM ON SALE SEPTEMBER 29

Tickets for the Japanese American National Museum’s Hello! Exploring the Supercute World of Hello Kitty exhibition go on sale to the public Monday, September 29, at noon PDT. Adult admission for Hello! is $20; admission for ages 6–17 is $10; children 5 and under are free. All admissions will be based on timed entry and advance purchase is strongly encouraged. Tickets will be available online at janm.org/hellokitty.

Beginning September 29, individuals may purchase tickets for October 11—opening day—through December 31. Tickets for Hello! in 2015 will go on sale November 24; the exhibition runs through April 26, 2015.

Hello! is the first large-scale museum retrospective of the iconic Sanrio character in the United States. The exhibition will combine an extensive product retrospective of rare, unique, and vintage pieces from Sanrio’s archive with an installation of 40 mixed-media works by contemporary artists.

Hello Kitty first emerged in America in the 1970s as a decorative motif on children’s products imported from Japan. The products were primarily distributed in areas with significant Asian populations, such as Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo, where JANM is located today. Over the years, the character’s popularity gradually increased, capturing the imaginations of a diverse spectrum of children and adults worldwide. Today, Hello Kitty is a frequent celebrity accessory and subject of countless brand collaboration and artistic explorations. As her fame endures, she continues to represent a wildly successful bridge between eastern and western cultures.

Christine Yano, PhD, a professor of anthropology at the University of Hawaii and author of Pink Globalization: Hello Kitty’s Trek Across the Pacific, is curator for the retrospective component of the exhibition. Her studies have focused on Japan and Japanese Americans with a particular focus in the construction of social identity through popular culture. Jamie Rivadeneira, founder and owner of pop culture-inspired boutique JapanLA, is curator of the contemporary art component. Rivadeneira previously curated Hello Kitty’s 35th anniversary exhibition as well as Sanrio’s 50th anniversary celebration.

JANM members receive free admission to Hello! as well as other exhibition-related benefits. To become a member, or upgrade an existing membership, visit janm.org/membership.

Hello! Exploring the Supercute World of Hello Kitty is supported by Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.; the Department of Cultural Affairs, City of Los Angeles; and Typecraft.

The JANM exhibition is a key element among several events and collaborations celebrating Hello Kitty’s 40th Anniversary. These also include Hello Kitty Con 2014, a convention at the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, running October 30–November 2; new product releases, including limited addition 40th anniversary collectibles; and Hello Kitty appearances around the globe in support of the Share a Hug with Hello Kitty! campaign. Further details on Hello Kitty’s 40th Anniversary celebration can be found at sanrio.com/hellokitty40th.

Hello! Exploring the Supercute World of Hello Kitty will be open exclusively to Hello Kitty Con ticket holders on the four days of that event.

NOW ON VIEW AT JANM:

Common Ground: The Heart of Community
Ongoing
Incorporating hundreds of objects, documents, and photographs collected by JANM, this exhibition chronicles 130 years of Japanese American history, from the early days of the Issei pioneers through the World War II incarceration to the present.

About the Japanese American National Museum (JANM)

Established in 1985, the Japanese American National Museum promotes understanding and appreciation of America’s ethnic and cultural diversity by sharing the Japanese American experience. Located in the historic Little Tokyo district of downtown Los Angeles, JANM is a hybrid institution that straddles traditional museum categories and strives to provide a voice for Japanese Americans as well as a forum that enables all people to explore their own heritage and culture. Since opening to the public, JANM has presented over 70 exhibitions onsite and traveled 6 of its exhibitions to over 30 locations, including the Smithsonian Institution and the Ellis Island Museum in the United States, and several leading cultural museums in Japan and South America.

JANM is located at 100 N. Central Ave., Los Angeles. Museum hours are Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Thursday from noon to 8 p.m. General admission is $9 adults, $5 students and seniors, free for members and children under age five. Admission is free to everyone on Thursdays from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and every third Thursday of the month from noon to 8 p.m. General admission prices and free admission times may not apply to specially ticketed exhibitions. Closed Monday, 4th of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. For more information visit janm.org or call 213.625.0414.

About Sanrio®

Sanrio is the global lifestyle brand best known for pop icon Hello Kitty®, who celebrates her 40th Anniversary this year. Home to many endearing characters including Chococat® My Melody®, Badtz-Maru® and Keroppi®, Sanrio was founded on the “small gift, big smile®” philosophy—that a small gift can bring happiness and friendship to people of all ages. Since 1960, this philosophy has served as the inspiration for the broad spectrum of unique products and experiences. Today, more than 50,000 Sanrio-branded items are available in over 70 countries and upwards of 15,000 U.S. retail locations including department, specialty, national chain stores and over 80 Sanrio boutiques. For more information please visit sanrio.com and facebook.com/hellokitty.