In a season of cancelled competitions and virtual events, that stalwart souvenir, the bobblehead, might not exactly be flying off the shelves. But the National Bubblehead Museum and Hall of Fame and Museum (bet you didn’t know it existed) has managed to make lemonade – or more accurately, bobbleheads, and in the process, is showcasing a great example of pivoting to meet the need.
Bobbleheads featuring heroes of the pandemic like nurses, doctors – even Dr. Anthony Fauci – are in the manufacturing process now and are expected to be available this summer.
And the HOF and museum is encouraging sales by noting that sales of specific items (including Dr. Fauci) will benefit the American Hospital Association's Protect the Heroes Campaign to support the 100 Million Mask Challenge.
The Dr. Fauci bobblehead section of the website notes, “Dr. Anthony Fauci has become America’s voice of reason as one of the lead members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force. This is the first bobblehead of Dr. Fauci, who has served as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 1984.”
The seven-inch replica costs $25 (plus shipping) and is expected to ship in July.
But wait, there’s more. The organization is also debuting its “essential heroes” line of bobbleheads, featuring white-coated, stethoscope-wearing professionals as well as those wearing scrubs and driving delivery trucks.
Bonus point: You can even customize a bobblehead (including but not limited to an essential hero) to look like someone you admire and then have it shipped directly to that person.
Color us impressed.
As a side note, the HOF doesn’t limit itself to sports figures and heroes of the pandemic. You can also get bobbleheads of everything from Baby Yoda to a line devoted to “Neglected Presidents,” including Chester Arthur, Franklin Pierce, Grover Cleveland, James Buchanan, James Garfield, John Quincy Adams, Martin Van Buren, Millard Fillmore and others.
The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum, based in Milwaukee, is currently closed but it houses the world’s largest collection of bobbleheads, and features dozens of exhibits related to the history of bobbleheads, making of bobbleheads and much more.
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