TO GO WITH AFP STORY BY ALIX RIJCKAERT:(01 of19)
Open Image ModalTO GO WITH AFP STORY BY ALIX RIJCKAERT: Picture taken 23 February 2005 shows illustrator Dick Bruna at the opening of his exposition of Miffy creations in Madurodam, the Hague. The Netherlands on Thursday will mark the 80th birthday of a favorite son, illustrator Dick Bruna whose iconic white rabbit \'Miffy\' has charmed children worldwide, particularly in Japan. AFP PHOTO/ANP/INGE VAN MILL EDS NOTE: NETHERLANDS OUT (Photo credit should read INGE VAN MILL/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:AFP via Getty Images)
The Licencing Show At The Jacob Javitz(02 of19)
Open Image ModalNEW YORK - JUNE 8: Anime character \'Miffy\' at the Licencing Show 2004 at Jacob Javits Center June 8, 2004 in New York City. (Matthew Peyton/Getty Images) (credit:Matthew Peyton via Getty Images)
Dick Bruna Holding Miffy Book(03 of19)
Open Image ModalDick Bruna, author of the Miffy books, artist, illustrator and graphic designer, holding one of his books in his studio, Utrecht, The Netherlands, 2nd October 2010. (Photo by Martin Godwin/Getty Images) (credit:Martin Godwin via Getty Images)
Miffy in His Car(04 of19)
Open Image ModalMiffy toy in his car in the Dick Bruna House Museum, Utrcht, The Netherlands, 2nd October 2010. (Photo by Martin Godwin/Getty Images) (credit:Martin Godwin via Getty Images)
Dick Bruna Miffy TV(05 of19)
Open Image ModalMiffy TV at the Dick Bruna House Museum in Utrecht, The Netherlands, 2nd October 2010. (Photo by Martin Godwin/Getty Images) (credit:Martin Godwin via Getty Images)
Dick Bruna Miffy Merchandise(06 of19)
Open Image ModalMiffy merchandise for sale at the Dick Bruna House Museum, Utrecht, The Netherlands, 2nd October 2010. (Photo by Martin Godwin/Getty Images) (credit:Martin Godwin via Getty Images)
Miffy Toys(07 of19)
Open Image ModalMiffy soft toys for sale at the Dick Bruna House Museum, Utrecht, The Netherlands, 2nd October 2010. (Photo by Martin Godwin/Getty Images) (credit:Martin Godwin via Getty Images)
Dick Bruna(08 of19)
Open Image ModalDick Bruna, author of the Miffy books, artist, illustrator and graphic designer, at his desk in his studio, Utrecht, The Netherlands, 2nd October 2010. (Photo by Martin Godwin/Getty Images) (credit:Martin Godwin via Getty Images)
Miffy Key Rings(09 of19)
Open Image ModalMiffy key rings on sale in the Dick Bruna House Musuem, Utrecht, The Netherlands, 2nd October 2010. (Photo by Martin Godwin/Getty Images) (credit:Martin Godwin via Getty Images)
CORRECTION-DATE AND ADDING INFO An emplo(10 of19)
Open Image ModalCORRECTION-DATE AND ADDING INFO An employee of Japan\'s leading jewelry shop, Ginza Tanaka, displays the company\'s 2011 gold calender during a press preview in Tokyo on November 25, 2010. Ginza Tanaka produced the six-kilogram gold calender with an illustration of the \'Miffy\' character to celebrate the \'Year of the Rabbit,\' on sale for 55,000,000 yen (657,500 USD). AFP PHOTO / TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA (Photo credit should read TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA via Getty Images)
CYCLING-FRA-GBR-TDF2014(11 of19)
Open Image ModalFigurines of Miffy, the popular Dutch rabbit, are seen above officials Tour De France cars, in reference of the 2015 Tour de France starting from Utrecht, The Netherlands, at the press center in Leeds, northwestern England, on July 2, 2014, before the start of the 101st edition of the Tour de France cycling race. The 2014 Tour de France gets underway on July 5 in the streets of Leeds and ends on July 27 down the Champs-Elysees in Paris. AFP PHOTO / JEFF PACHOUD (Photo credit should read JEFF PACHOUD/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:JEFF PACHOUD via Getty Images)
NETHERLANDS-ART-MUSEUM-MIFFY(12 of19)
Open Image ModalTO GO WITH AFP STORY BY JO BIDDLE\nYolanda van den Berg, curator of the Miffy Museum, poses with a stuffed Miffy toy at the museum in Utrecht. \n\nTo some she\'s just a plain white bunny, to others she\'s a prime example of minimalist art. But for six decades Miffy has been delighting young kids around the world, and now she\'s getting a museum of her own. After a two-year renovation project, what was formerly known as the Dick Bruna Huis (house) in the Centraal Museum of the Dutch city of Utrecht, is reopening this weekend as a bright, playful space dedicated to Miffy herself and carefully re-imagined as a hands-on experience for her young fans.\n\n / AFP / Jo Biddle / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY MENTION OF THE ARTIST UPON PUBLICATION - TO ILLUSTRATE THE EVENT AS SPECIFIED IN THE CAPTION (Photo credit should read JO BIDDLE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:JO BIDDLE via Getty Images)
NETHERLANDS-MUSEUM(13 of19)
Open Image ModalA person in a Nijntje (Miffy) costume hugs a child during the official reopening of the \'Nijntje Museum\' (Miffy Museum) in Utrecht on February 5, 2016.\nMiffy is a small female rabbit character created by Dutch author and illustrator Dick Bruna. The museum has replaced the closed Dick Bruna House. / AFP / ANP / Lex van Lieshout / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY MENTION OF THE ARTIST UPON PUBLICATION - TO ILLUSTRATE THE EVENT AS SPECIFIED IN THE CAPTION (Photo credit should read LEX VAN LIESHOUT/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:LEX VAN LIESHOUT via Getty Images)
NETHERLANDS-MUSEUM(14 of19)
Open Image ModalChildren play during the official reopening of the \'Nijntje Museum\' (Miffy Museum) in Utrecht on February 5, 2016.\nMiffy is a small female rabbit character created by Dutch author and illustrator Dick Bruna. The museum has replaced the closed Dick Bruna House. / AFP / ANP / Lex van Lieshout / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY MENTION OF THE ARTIST UPON PUBLICATION - TO ILLUSTRATE THE EVENT AS SPECIFIED IN THE CAPTION (Photo credit should read LEX VAN LIESHOUT/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:LEX VAN LIESHOUT via Getty Images)
NETHERLANDS-MUSEUM(15 of19)
Open Image ModalA person in a Nijntje (Miffy) costume poses with children during the official reopening of the \'Nijntje Museum\' (Miffy Museum) in Utrecht on February 5, 2016.\nMiffy is a small female rabbit character created by Dutch author and illustrator Dick Bruna. The museum has replaced the closed Dick Bruna House. / AFP / ANP / Lex van Lieshout / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY MENTION OF THE ARTIST UPON PUBLICATION - TO ILLUSTRATE THE EVENT AS SPECIFIED IN THE CAPTION (Photo credit should read LEX VAN LIESHOUT/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:LEX VAN LIESHOUT via Getty Images)
NETHERLANDS-CULTURE-TRIBUTE(16 of19)
Open Image ModalA woman with children stand in front of a statue of Nijntje character - called Miffy in English - outside the Nijntje Museum in Utrecht, on 17 February. \nDick Bruna, who drew Nijntje, passed away on February 17, 2017. / AFP / ANP / Robin Utrecht / Netherlands OUT (Photo credit should read ROBIN UTRECHT/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:ROBIN UTRECHT via Getty Images)
China's Annual National College Entrance Exam 2016(17 of19)
Open Image ModalGUANGZHOU, CHINA - JUNE 08: (CHINA OUT) A parent raises up a Miffy toy to let his child find him outside the exam site on June 8, 2016 in Guangzhou, China. About 9,400,000 students participated the 2016 China\'s National College Entrance Examination (aka Gaokao). (Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images) (credit:VCG via Getty Images)
NETHERLANDS-CULTURE-TRIBUTE(18 of19)
Open Image ModalA picture taken at the Nijntje square in Utrecht, on 17 February, 2017 shows flowers laid at a statue of the Nijntje character - called Miffy in English -. \nDick Bruna, who drew Nijntje, passed away on 17 February, 2017. / AFP / ANP / Robin Utrecht / Netherlands OUT (Photo credit should read ROBIN UTRECHT/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:ROBIN UTRECHT via Getty Images)
Dick Bruna(19 of19)
Open Image ModalDick Bruna, author of the Miffy books, artist, illustrator and graphic designer, in his studio, Utrecht, The Netherlands, 2nd October 2010. (Photo by Martin Godwin/Getty Images) (credit:Martin Godwin via Getty Images)