|
Behind Goodge Street, in two
18th century houses, this small museum has an assortment of
historic toys from all over the world.
Most of the exhibits date from
the last 200 years but there are some rare pieces, including
as a Egyptian clay mouse dating from 2000 BC.
The small rooms of the museum,
which opened in 1956, are crammed with collections of toys. Items
on display include dolls, puppets, teddy bears, a rocking
horse, cars, trains, construction sets and optical toys. The
collection of dolls' houses illustrates changing tastes in
decor over the years.
Benjamin Pollock, 1856 - 1937,
owned a toy shop in Hoxton, East London, and was a well-known
maker of toy theatres, one of the customers was the novelist
Robert Louis Stevenson. Toy theatres were extremely
popular in the 19th century but as interest fell in the 1900's
Pollock's became the last toy theatre shop in London.
One room in the museum is devoted
to puppets and stages from Pollock's toy theatres and there
is also a reconstruction of his workshop.
Toy theatre performances can
be booked for groups of children during school holidays.
There is a toyshop offering traditional
toys and model theatres.
Admission charge
|
the internet holiday and travel guide to the UK
London
Goodge Street