Pop-up books have pictures that move, change, pop out, and make sounds. Pop-up books for children began to appear in Britain in the late 18th century, experiencing their heyday in the 19th century with improvements in printing technology, the emergence of publishers dedicated to children's books, and the invention of new mechanisms. Elaborately crafted picture books were published in many varieties. This includes peepshows, where the viewer looks through holes to see landscapes with depth, and theatre-style pop-ups, where the story unfolds on a stage with a double-sided opening. Other varieties included pictures that changed with pull-tabs and turntables and three-dimensional pictures that popped out when opened. In the 20th century, pop-up picture books were mass-produced in the United States. Starting in the 1990s, pop-up technology became more sophisticated thanks to paper engineers, with pictures popping up in multiple directions and layers.

This exhibition displays European and American pop-up books from the 18th to the 20th centuries from the Musashino Art University Museum & Library collection, introducing their history and technique. Visitors can also hold actual contemporary pop-up picture books in their hands in the experience area. Enjoy the enchanting world of pop-up picture books. Excitement awaits as you turn each page.