Museum of Childhood
Map
Established1955 (1955)
LocationRoyal Mile, Edinburgh, Scotland
TypeToy
Collection size60,000
Visitors225,000 (2017)
FounderPatrick Murray
OwnerCity of Edinburgh Council
WebsiteOfficial website

The Museum of Childhood is a museum that houses a collection of children's toys and playthings, situated on the Royal Mile, in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is the first museum in the world to specialise in the history of childhood.[1] Admission to the museum is free. It is run and owned by City of Edinburgh Council.[2]

History

[edit]

The collection was originally the work of Patrick Murray (1908–1981), an Edinburgh Councillor and passionate collector of toys and childhood memorabilia.[3] The museum first opened to the public in 1955. In 1957, it moved to its present home on Edinburgh's Royal Mile, in what was formerly the Salvation Army's hall.[4][5] In 1986, the museum expanded into neighbouring properties to expand the floor and display space.[5]

In 2017, the museum underwent a major refurbishment, including the installation of new display cabinets and lighting for exhibits. The refurbishment also saw the installation of a new digital photo gallery, which offers a look at the changing way children grew up across the 20th century.[5][1] In 2017, it was estimated that the museum had around 225,000 visitors per year.[5]

Collection

[edit]

The museum's collection includes around 60,000 objects, from the 18th to the 21st century.[3][5] Highlights include a teddy bear brought to the UK by a child on the Kindertransport, a dollhouse with working lighting and plumbing systems, a Queen Anne doll from 1740,[2] and a copy of handmade booklet The Life History of a Slum Child by Lileen Hardy.[6] The collection also includes one of the Scottish Government's baby boxes, a maternity package offered to all new parents in Scotland.[7]

The museum has a number of interactive spaces to encourage play amongst younger visitors.[2]

[edit]
  • Victorian butcher's shop, 1880s
    Victorian butcher's shop, 1880s
  • Funfair Galloper Horse, c.1902
    Funfair Galloper Horse, c.1902
  • A pre-1914 battleship toy modelled on H.M.S. Dreadnought
    A pre-1914 battleship toy modelled on H.M.S. Dreadnought
  • 'Meccano' construction set
    'Meccano' construction set
  • Child's metal spinning top from the 1950s
    Child's metal spinning top from the 1950s

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Childhood Museum sets reopening date". BBC News. 8 February 2018. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  2. ^ a b c "Museum of Childhood". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  3. ^ a b "Childhood Collections". www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  4. ^ Gazetteer for Scotland
  5. ^ a b c d e "Childhood Museum closes for revamp". BBC News. 2 November 2017. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  6. ^ Stevens, Lyn (12 March 2021). "Auld Reekie Retold: Celebrating five pioneering women from Edinburgh's past". Museums and Galleries Edinburgh. Retrieved 15 February 2025.
  7. ^ "Scotland's baby box immortalised in Edinburgh's Museum of Childhood". www.scotsman.com. Retrieved 9 March 2020.

55°57′01″N 3°11′08″W / 55.9504°N 3.1856°W / 55.9504; -3.1856

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Museum_of_Childhood_(Edinburgh)&oldid=1275932877"