Museum spokeswoman Lucie Peterková informed ČTK about this today. The opening is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. The Magic of Toys exhibition will be open from Friday, November 10 in the Lapidary of the Ministry of the Interior until March 3, 2024.
“The exhibition does not show the oldest soft toy, the rarest doll, but toys that were previously available and played with by most of us. There are, of course, iconic toys, monkeys, Merkur kits and metal turnkey toys,” said Stanislav Hrbatý, head of the museum’s exhibition department.
Visitors will see approximately 200 exhibits in the lapidary. “The exhibition will be accompanied by illustrative period photographs of children with toys, cross-sectionally from the 1950s,” Peterková told ČTK.
The history of toys goes back to prehistoric times. Their production increased significantly with the industrial revolution, when they became more affordable and their offer expanded. Miniatures of steam engines, mechanical trains, toy cars, dolls, kitchens, little rooms, tin soldiers were produced, children composed the alphabet, dominoes, built kits, the museum said.
At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, toys represented a reduced adult world and were intended to help children understand and navigate it. “In the 20th century, the lifestyle changed significantly and with it the perception of childhood in a society that reflected more on upbringing, education, care and the needs of children. Toys become profitable goods during this period,” said Peterková.
The offer was influenced by the use of new materials, especially plastics, as well as the import of toys from abroad, which was especially significant after 1989. “The market offered a wide range of toys, but often of different quality. Traditional Czech toy manufacturers faced strong competition and were forced to look for other ways to succeed,” the spokeswoman added.
More information about opening hours and entrance fees can be found on the website www.muzeumhk.cz.
