The Pigeon that famously begged to drive a bus is finally getting his own Boston moment. Boston Children's Museum debuts The Pigeon Comes to Boston! at 9 a.m. Saturday, a new exhibit built around the beloved picture-book world of author Mo Willems, and it sticks around through January 3, 2027.
What's Inside the New Exhibit
The show is billed as a Mo Willems exhibit inspired by the art and characters the author has spent decades building, according to Boston Children's Museum. Visitors will find familiar faces throughout, including the best-friend duo Elephant and Piggie, the ever-faithful Knuffle Bunny, and, of course, The Pigeon himself. The museum notes the exhibit also features prints of Willems' illustrations, along with sketches and other preliminary materials that show his work taking shape.
Beyond the artwork, the museum says the exhibit gives visitors a chance to make art inspired by Willems while learning about the social and emotional lives of his characters. As WBZ NewsRadio notes, Willems is an American writer, animator, voice actor and children's book author whose credits include Knuffle Bunny, Sheep in the Big City, and the Elephant & Piggie series, and whose résumé also includes stints on Sesame Street and The Off-Beats.
Hands-On Activities for Kids
The interactive elements sound like the real draw for younger visitors. According to a release detailed by PR Newswire, kids can have a conversation in the voices of Elephant Gerald and Piggie at a double-sided phone booth, or make the pair dance using an old-time animation activity. There's also a wearable bus for visitors to strap on and drive around the exhibit space.
Another activity invites guests to spin a laundromat-style washing machine to uncover Knuffle Bunny and other surprises, per the same release. The Pigeon himself is described on the museum's site as the wily city bird best known for his antics in Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, and his outsized personality appears to carry through much of the exhibit's playful design.
Where the Exhibit Came From
The Pigeon Comes to Boston! was co-organized by the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh and The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, the Boston museum notes, meaning this run is one stop for a show built to travel between institutions devoted to children's literature and art.
Location, Hours and Admission
The exhibit lives at Boston Children's Museum, located at 308 Congress Street on Fort Point Channel near South Station, according to BostonCentral. The museum is open Wednesday through Monday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is closed Tuesdays, per the PR Newswire release.
Admission pricing is where things get a little murky. The museum's own release lists admission at $24 for adults, children ages 1 to 15, and seniors, while BostonCentral lists general admission at $22 for visitors age 1 and up, with infants under 1 admitted free. Families planning a visit may want to confirm current pricing directly with the museum before heading to Fort Point Channel this weekend.
