Messengers of Peace: 100th Anniversary of Friendship Dolls between Japan and the United States
Location: South Hall Gallery
Opening Date: October 17, 2026
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. 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.
A Special Thanks
Messengers of Peace is made possible through generous support from the United States-Japan Foundation and the Toshiba International Foundation.
We would like to thank the Akehama Elementary School, the Children's Museum of Indianapolis, the Detroit Children's Museum, the Speed Art Museum, the Chicago Film Society, Julie Blewis, and Vickie Hannig for graciously lending their Friendship Dolls and related materials for display in this exhibition.
Finally, we acknowledge lead curator Fumi Arakawa and the Community of Friendship Dolls for their steadfast dedication to preserving and telling the story of the 1927 Friendship Doll Exchange between the United-States and Japan.
