Cute ‘Hello Kitty’ Exhibition in London

The Cute Exhibition is a celebration of everything cute and kawaii that’s taken the world and popular culture by storm. It delves into the aesthetics of cuteness and its influence on the world. This immersive exhibition features emojis, internet memes, video games, plushies, and more cuteness than you can handle! Think the little girl from Despicable Me “It’s so fluffy, I’m gonna die!” 

You will be taken on a journey through the cute cultural phenomena, starting in the 1870s with the first ever cat meme (yep! Cat’s have been stealing hearts and memes since the 19th century). One of the rooms is a tribute to cats and features feline photographs and a collection of china cats!

Get ready for a blast from the past with a range of artefacts and memorabilia from Sylvanian Families and My Little Pony. Oh and keep your eye out for the dedicated plushie space – talk about cute!

Reminisce with iconic games like Animal Crossing and Tamagotchis in the Japanese Video games room. Let’s be real, who didn’t obsess over their Tamagotchi back in the day? Anime and Manga lovers, we’ve got you covered! There’s a wall filled with original manga panels from the 80s and 90s!

Fancy a pyjama party? There’s even a fully-kitted out, vast teen bedroom complete with beanbags and pop music, created by British artist Hannah Diamond! It pays homage to the universal experience of pink girlhood.

The exhibition features artwork from Karen Kilimnik, Cosima Von Bonin, Juliana Huxtable, Rachel Maclean, Mike Kelley, Andy Holden, Wong Ping, Aya Takano, Nayland Blake, Ado Mizumori and so many more amazing artists, including some of Somerset House Studios own artists!

No cute exhibition would be complete without the beloved feline-inspired character herself… the iconic queen of cute: Hello Kitty!

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Hello Kitty and what better way to celebrate than immersed in the world of all things cute? Dive into historic Hello Kitty merch, one-off limited edition items, and lots of Hello Kitty plushies.

But wait, there’s more – there’s a Hello Kitty Disco complete with a glitter ball!! Get ready to bust out some of your best moves!

An exhibition about cuteness wouldn’t be complete without a cute cafe. The Cute Exhibition features a Hello Kitty cafe presented by ARTBOX (the perfect destination for all things cute and Japanese culture).

The Hello Kitty cafe is inspired by kawaii themed cafe culture in Japan, where everything is elevated by cuteness and way more fun!

While the exhibition is running, you can find themed hot and cold drinks, wraps, bagels, sandwiches and sweet treats, all starring Sanrio’s Cute Queen, Hello Kitty. Get ready for Hello Kitty latte art!

The Cute Exhibition is taking place at Somerset House, the Embankment galleries. Somerset House is a large Neoclassical complex on the south side of the Strand in Central London. It overlooks the River Thames is to the east of Waterloo Bridge.

Somerset House is committed to ensuring everyone can experience the culture of cuteness at the Cute Exhibition in London. They are hosting two relaxed sessions designed to promote a calm, comfortable and non-threatening environment for people with autism and other neurodiverse needs.

The relaxed sessions will take place on Saturday 16th March 2024, 18.30-20.00 and Friday 5th April 2024, 10.00-11.30.

To ensure that the exhibition is as welcoming and calm as possible, they have:

• Limited the number of visitors in the session
• Turned off/lowered any AV in the space. They can also share the soundtrack in the Pre-visit email to the Hello Kitty disco for you to experience and listen to in your own time and space.
• Provided a visual story to help you plan your visit
• Access Packs available at the Cute Box Office containing Large Print Guides, Noise Cancelling Headphones, a copy of the Visual Story, Magnifying Glasses and a stress ball.
• Provided a safe space/calm room to help assist visitors who may be overwhelmed due to the new environment.

For those who are at risk of seizures due to photosensitive epilepsy or other conditions, please be aware that the Hannah Diamond commission involves flashing images. You can speak to a Visitor Experience Assistant who will be able to help and suggest an alternative route.