A Traveling Exhibit for Schools, Libraries, and Museums

For more than four decades, OrigamiUSA has sponsored Origami by Children (OBC), an annual exhibition of outstanding origami by children from around the world.

Children whose origami is selected for the exhibition will receive a Certificate of Merit, a one-year membership to OrigamiUSA and a small gift. Experience is not necessary and every interested child is welcome to participate. Most models are made from directions in origami books available in libraries, bookstores, and online. However, original creations are especially encouraged.

Every year children are invited to submit their best folded models; either their own creations or the designs of others. The finest of these are selected to become the Origami By Children exhibit for that year. The exhibit is available to travel in the continental US.

Started in 1978, Origami By Children provides an inspiration for children of all ages to explore their own creative potential as well as to enjoy the creativity of other children from around the world.

Submissions to OBC

To submit an entry, you must be 18 or younger as of the submission deadline, January 31, in the year you are making your submission. There is a limit of one model per child. The model must arrive by January 31. Please print the PDF of the form you receive with your submission receipt. All forms need to be signed by a parent/guardian and included in the box with the model.

Models must be classic origami, without drawing, embellishments, glue, tape, or cutting. For further submission requirements and instructions, please review the Judging Criteria and Tips for Submissions.

Participants will be notified of results via email by mid-April.

  • Origami by Children submissions are now closed. Submissions for next year will open soon.

The address to send OBC entries is:

OrigamiUSA - Origami By Children
c/o Yumiko Pfantz
PO Box 950027
Lake Mary, FL 32795

Please do not send entries to the Home Office in New York. If you are using international shipping, please choose the option that allows for the final leg of the journey to use the US Postal Service to allow delivery to a PO Box.

Exhibition Schedule

Current and upcoming displays of Origami by Children collections are shown below. Past exhibitions are here.

OBC 2020

None at present.

Galleries of OBC Selections

See the selections from Origami by Children for this and past years here! Collections available for exhibition are marked (*).

Displaying the OBC Collection

If you are interested in displaying an Origami By Children winner's collection, please fill out this form and submit it.

The requirements for displaying an Origami By Children Collection are:

  • Mailing address in the United States. The Exhibit is not available for locations outside of the US.
  • Pay a $100 fee to OrigamiUSA for the OBC Exhibition rental.
  • Have a glass cabinet that is secure and lockable for the OBC Exhibition to be displayed.

If an Origami By Children collection is available for the time you have requested, you will be required to fill out, sign and send back the Origami by Children Exhibition Letter of Agreement.

For Further Information

If you have any further questions about the Origami By Children exhibition, please don't hesitate to contact the OBC Committee at obc [at] origamiusa.org.