Heritage Centre? Museum of Play?
I have had on my mind how to describe our Heritage Centre of Play.
Which aspects does it share with a Museum of Play, if at all?
An established Museum of Play or of Toys and Games or of Childhood or such stuff should have no difficulty in arranging a pop-up display of toys of the last one hundred years.
I took as a measuring stick the illustrated article by Allie Townsend that appeared in TIME magazine on February 16th. 2011. You may see it here – http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/0,28757,2049243,00.html
It covers the years from 1923 to 2011 and describes 100 toys and playthings which she claims to have been the most influential. She did not say “in U.S.A.” which she should have.The original toys are illustrated and are presented according to their year of production.
I list here the toys that we could put on show. There are some originals though most are derivatives (meaning they are the outcome of the influence engendered by those originals) and many have been produced in Israel. Lots have been “previously loved”.
Chemistry set
Yo-yo
Pop-up books
Stuffed Mickey Mouse
Finger paint
Microscope set
Beach Ball
Toy gun
Tiny plastic soldiers
Bubble solution
Little Golden Books
Slinky
Lego Building Blocks
Silly Putty
Fisher-Price Little People
Vinyl Colourforms
Paint by numbers
Mr. Potato Head
Matchbox Car
Pez Dispenser
Bendy Action Figure
Playdough
Frisbee
Push Toy on Stick
Hula Hoop
Barbie
Troll Doll
Toy Train
Etch A Sketch
Rocking Stacking Toy
Ken
Toy Telephone
Action Men
Audio Toy
Super Bouncy Ball
Barrel of Monkeys
Radio Controlled Car
Hot Wheels Model Cars
Playmobil
Foam Ball for Indoors
Weebles
Paddington Bear
Shrinky Dinks
Rubik’s Cube
Electronic toys
Cabbage Patch Doll
Polly Pocket
Care Bear
My Little Pony
Transformers
Plush Toys
Koosh Ball
Ninja Turtle
Skip It
Glow stick
Beanie Baby
Buzz Lightyear
Elmo
Furby
Magnet Toys
Bratz