A brand new exhibition devoted to the strangely adorable Moomins is opening today (15 December) in London.

Adventures in Moominland, which runs at the Southbank Centre until 23 April, will bring to life the fictional characters and their world, and tell the story of their creator, the late Finnish author Tove Jansson.

Since Jansson published the first books about Family Moomintroll in the 1940s, the creatures have achieved a cult status with fans all over the world and even inspired plans for a Moomin theme park in Japan.

The exhibition features 40 original drawings and archive materials from Jansson’s Helsinki studio, including her paints and a floral headdress, some of the first ever Moomin dolls and an audioguide voiced by TV and radio presenter Sandi Toksvig.

Adventures in Moominland, which is part of a year-long series of installations focusing on Nordic culture, also explores the political and social landscape of the time, including the challenges the author faced as a lesbian before same-sex relationships were legalised in Finland in 1971.

“Tove Jansson’s work is beloved throughout the world by children and adults alike, and we’re delighted to be able to introduce a new generation to the magical world of the Moomins through this new immersive exhibition,” said Paul Denton, producer at the Southbank Centre.

There is also a pop-up Moomins shop, in association with The Moomins Shop in Covent Garden.