The Miffy Museum (Nijntje Museum)

Who would have thought that such a simple design would prove to be so popular for so long?

Miffy is a rabbit – that is clear from immediately looking at her. But you might not realise that she is the world’s most successful rabbit, at the head of a US$250 million empire.

And that fortune has come about despite (or, perhaps, because of) a sterile simplicity.

Dick Bruna created her with just a few shapes and one colour. There’s no intricate detail or deep expression on her face but Miffy has managed to capture the hearts of children across the world.

The cartoon character was created by Dutch artist Dick Bruna, who has made about 30 books based on Miffy’s adventures. (If you can call going to school or going to the doctor an ‘adventure’.)

Together they have been translated into more than 50 different languages and sold over 100 million copies. The books have bred even faster than a real rabbit could!

Now, Miffy’s popularity is celebrated at a permanent exhibition in the Dutch city of Utrecht, where Bruna lived.

The Miffy Museum (or Nijntje Museum, in Dutch) is aimed at children but there’s also probable enough here to amuse adults and introduce them to this famous-multimillion dollar rabbit.

Even if you’re visiting the Miffy Museum with children who know the stories well, it’s worth knowing a little bit about the background before you arrive.

The story of Miffy

The first Miffy book was published in 1955, with the character based on a real rabbit that Dick Bruna had seen with his young son on holidays.

He used the memory of that rabbit to create simple stories about familiar routines – visiting friends at school, sharing meals with the family, playing outside. But within these everyday moments, Bruna weaves threads of magic.

A puddle transforms into a shimmering ocean, a walk in the park becomes a grand safari, and a shared pancake becomes a celebration of friendship. This is what is so enchanting about the books, why they have become so timeless.

Even though the drawings look simple, there was a very precise and special technique used to make the images in the books. Dick Bruna spent about a day on each full-page picture, trying different colours and shapes until he was completely happy.

Sometimes he would even revisit the result and make small changes – taking away a single tear from a crying Miffy, for instance.

Each book has only sixteen pages, so making each one perfect is important.

Miffy’s world, though idyllic, is not without its challenges, and she faces small disappointments like losing a toy or missing a friend’s birthday party.

But the way she handles these with resilience and the support of her family is another key to Miffy’s appeal. Bruna masterfully conveyed an incredible range of emotions through her expressive eyes and simple gestures.

When Dick Bruna died in 2017 at the age of 89, he had published more than 200 children’s books. But it is the 30 or so featuring Miffy that have gone on to be his greatest legacy.

Things to see at the Miffy Museum

Originally, the museum was called the Dick Bruna House and it focused a lot more on the author’s own story and the history of Miffy as a cultural force.

But after about a decade, the space was remodelled into the Miffy Museum (Nijntje Museum) and became all about the rabbit.

Aimed at toddlers and pre-schoolers, there are 12 different learning environments based on stories from the books. The house, the traffic square, the farm, just to name a few.

Kids are able to interact in these spaces, with toys and props and other surprises.

There are also events that take place, like workshops and storytelling sessions.

Many of the exhibitions that existed in the old Dick Bruna House have now been moved, including photos and other documents.

Across the road, in the Centraal Museum, you can see a recreation of Dick Bruna’s studio, with the same arrangement as his original one, including a drawing and writing table, a place for rest and inspiration, a meeting place and bookshelves.

Utrecht is a beautiful city based around canals and small friendly streets. It has a lot more visual noise to it than a Miffy book but it shares a humble and unassuming attitude.

By the end of his life, Dick Bruna was like a grandfather to the people of Utrecht and it made sense for them to honour him with a museum. Now, with the house’s focus on young children, future generations are able to experience a whole new way to enjoy the Miffy story.

Visiting the Miffy Museum

If you’re planning a visit to the Miffy Museum, just a reminder that it’s officially called the Nijntje Museum, so those are the signs you’re looking for.

There are no entrance tickets for sale at the museum so you’ll need to book in advance for a specific time.

Unlike most other places, tickets for children are more expensive than those for adults, so don’t be surprised when you see that.

A visit will take as long or as little as you like, because there are areas for children to play. But I would suggest about an hour or so is a good length of time.

A few other things to note for visitors:

• The Miffy Museum is accessible by prams and standard wheelchairs.
• The museum is family-friendly and has baby and children’s toilet facilities.
• Service animals and guide dogs are allowed.
• Employees have a good knowledge of the Sunflower Keycord.
• Visitors with special needs can bring a carer or companion for free
• Children who have a physical disability can access educational materials that have tactile, relief, colour contrast, scent and sign language features.

For more information, see the official website of the Miffy Museum.

For food, there’s a cafe at the Miffy Museum that serves a wide range of food including gluten/lactose-free, vegan and vegetarian options.

The museum also has a gift shop where you can get some Miffy memorabilia. It doesn’t require a museum ticket to visit.

While the Miffy Museum is aimed at children, across the road there’s something for the adults. Museum Centraal has a recreation of Dick Bruna’s original studio, with his drawing table and a collection of his work for adults.

It’s well worth visiting Museum Centraal when you’re in Utrecht and you can buy your ticket in advance here.

While you’re in Utrecht, you might also like to get to know the city a bit better with one of these great tours:

And, if you’re travelling with kids, let them run off their excess energy in the Servaasbolwerk/Sonnenborgh park before diving into stars and the universe at the Sonnenborgh Observatory.

Time Travel Turtle was a guest of Visit Utrecht but the opinions, over-written descriptions and bad jokes are his own.