Join us in Gloucester to celebrate 80 years of the Moomins with a joyful programme of art, activities, and storytelling across Gloucester Docks, the Museum of Gloucester, and Gloucester Guildhall. Inspired by The Moomins and the Great Flood, this city-wide celebration explores the timeless themes of welcome, safety, and belonging – values at the heart of Tove Jansson’s beloved stories.
Under the theme “The Door is Always Open”, Gloucester is proud to be one of four UK cities co-commissioning a new public artwork as part of Refugee Week 2025. This national partnership between Moomin Characters and Counterpoints Arts invites communities to reflect on what it means to offer shelter and kindness to those seeking sanctuary. As a historic dock city, Gloucester has long welcomed people from around the world. This project honours that legacy, celebrating the creativity and resilience of refugees and the richness they bring to our communities.
At the Museum of Gloucester, visitors can enjoy the Moomin ABC Exhibition, a playful and educational display exploring language and creativity through the world of the Moomins. The exhibition is open now and runs until Sunday 5 October, offering a perfect opportunity for families and fans to engage with the Moomin legacy in a museum setting. The exhibition is supported by family events like Moomin Tales & Adventure and Moominmamma’s Jam of Kindness, with more activities over the summer—and don’t miss the pop-up Moomin Gift Shop.
At Gloucester Docks, the city’s contribution to the national programme is a new floating installation by socially engaged artist Dana Olărescu, titled You Look As Though You Might Be A Relation. Throughout Refugee Week, this specially designed raft will travel to various locations across the city, creating moments of connection and curiosity wherever it appears. The journey culminates on Friday 20 June with Moonlit Arrival, a magical evening performance on the water accompanied by live music from local artist Zariq Rosita-Hanif.
The celebrations continue on Saturday 21 June with the Moomin Picnic in Kings Square, a joyful, family-friendly event featuring a variety of global dishes to sample and enjoy, children’s games from around the world, interactive music workshops aboard The Music Works Bus, free face painting and collage activities, a reading corner and story time, and a special Moomin puppet show titled Mischief and Mystery in Moominvalley brought to us by theatre company Get Lost and Found. Free ice cream will be provided courtesy of Ben & Jerry’s.
From 14 to 22 June, the Guildhall will host Welcome Chorus, a light and sound installation by Squidsoup and Vilk Collective. This pop-up book-style transformation of the Gallery and Chamber Cinema space will echo songs of welcome and belonging gathered from communities across Gloucester.
The Canal & River Trust, in partnership with the National Waterways Museum, will lead a series of events from 18 to 21 June under the banner Onto the Water, celebrating Gloucester’s historic waterways as gateways to the world and places of welcome. The programme includes the Language Exchange Walk on 18 June, a gentle guided stroll along the canal towpath beginning at the museum, inviting participants to connect and converse across languages and cultures. Two unique on-the-water experiences will also be offered: Let’s Paddle! Welcome on the Water, a guided paddle through Gloucester Docks exploring the meaning of welcome while interacting with the floating art installation, and a special Moonlit Arrival paddle experience on 20 June, allowing audiences to watch the performance from the water for a truly immersive perspective.
For more information, visit Gloucester Guildhall’s website at https://www.gloucesterguildhall.co.uk/moomins or follow @GlosGuildhall and @MuseumOfGloucester on social media. Join the conversation using #Moomin80 and #RefugeeWeek2025.
