We were recently invited by The Metropolitan of Art in New York City to visit on an exclusive tour of the famous museum before the doors opened to the public. We jumped at the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience the magic of one of our favorite museums before it opened. We are avid museum visitors but an EMPTY museum is something that we couldn’t even imagine. We were giddy with excitement.
The tour was offered to discover the story of William the Hippo, and to preview The Met x State Bags collection that was soon to be launching. We couldn’t wait to discover William’s story, and to see the new collection that would soon be hitting stores.
Little Hippo, Big Museum
Did you know that The Metropolitan Museum of Art has an unofficial mascot? We learned that a little blue hippo, affectionately named “William” has the amazing honor. The little hippopotamus figurine was made in Egypt around 1961–1878 B.C. and placed in a tomb to magically guarantee the rebirth of the deceased. Several thousand years passed before it was excavated, and then became part of The Met collection in 1917. Created in a captivating blue color, the little hippo quickly won people’s hearts. However the hippo received his nickname, William, in 1921.
Meet William the Hippo
The name William is, of course, a modern nickname. It first appeared in 1931 in a story that was published in the British magazine Punch. The author, Captain H. M. Raleigh, wrote that his family owned a framed color print of the Metropolitan Museum of Art hippo and that they had named him “William.” As much as he and his wife Margery adored the hippo, they appreciated him even more for his oracular power. Several times they made the mistake of disregarding William’s “advice.” See William has a “Mona Lisa” smile. Sometimes he appears to be happy, others not as much. If William was smiling – it was a good omen, if William appeared to be frowning – a warning. On one occasion the family ignored his disapproval of their summer vacation plans, and lo and behold, the vacation turned out to be a disaster. Raleigh’s family consulted William on every important decision thereafter.
The Met republished the Punch story in the Museum’s Bulletin of that same year, and the name William caught on!
Today we still use the name that Captain Raleigh chose for The Met’s hippo more than 80 years ago―even the current Museum display label reads: “Hippopotamus (‘William’).”
Met Collection x State Bags
Today William is the informal mascot of the museum, and beloved by museum-goers around the world. Even more – William has now been commemorated on an incredible collaboration with State Bags!
The Met x State Bags collection features the lovable Hippo William on a backpack, lunch box and artfolio in a fanciful “Hippoflage” print – a blue and gray collage of hippos tumbling and colliding to form a camouflage pattern. A whimsical, conversational take on the museums little blue hero, and the perfect print to accompany your little one to art class and beyond this Back-to-School season.
The Artfolio comes with a pad of paper and a rainbow of 10 crayons. With a button closure it is the perfect Back to School accessory for little artists of all ages.
We love this HIP William the Hippo collaboration! The perfect Back-to-School collection for little artists and museum lovers alike.
See more of The Met x State Bag collection HERE. Many more pictures from our tour below.
More on The Met x State Bag Collection HERE.
A huge thank you to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for allowing us behind you doors on a private tour before the doors opened to the public. A surreal, magical moment we will never forget.
