A Photographers & Visitors Guide & Timeless Stories

Victoria and Albert Museum of Childhood – Vintage toys

24 pics. The V & A Toy Museum is in Bethnal Green just a little north of Bethnal Green Underground station on Cambridge Heath Road. There are numerous events and workshops for children including schools groups.  It is worth seeing their website ⇒.

The museum is free to enter and photography is allowed but difficult due the lighting and reflections from the glass cases.  Nevertheless it is worth a visit, especially since their stock keeps being replenished from a large archive.

There is a second post with Chinese Rock Gardens, more toys and favourites from television here ⇐. 🙂

The V & A Museum of design in South Kensington is even larger and can be found here ⇐.

Dolls Houses

This just a sample.


Victoria & Albert Museum of Childhood Dolls House DSC_5450.
V & A Museum of Childhood Dolls House DSC_5444

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V & A Museum of Childhood Dolls House DSC_5441

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V & A Museum of Childhood Dolls House DSC_5456

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V & A Museum of Childhood Toy House.

V & A Museum of Childhood Dolls

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Toy Cooker and Tea Sets


V & A Museum of Childhood Toy Oven

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Victoria and Albert Museum of Childhood Toy Tea Set

Toy Theatres


V & A Museum of Childhood Toy Theatre DSC_5216

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Victoria & Albert Toy Museum Toy Theatre DSC_5180

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V & A Toy Museum Toy Theatre DSC_5171

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V & A Toy Museum Toy Theatre DSC_5181

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V & A Toy Museum Puppets DSC_5504

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V & A Toy Museum Punch and Judy

Mechanical Puppet

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V & A Toy Museum Mechancal Puppet

Johnny the Dunce is an early clockwork toy (circa 1850) with music and a swinging leg.

Vintage Models

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Victoria & Albert Toy Museum DSC_5507

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V & A Toy Museum Toy Car

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V & A Toy Museum Clockwork Toy Train DSC_5210

Steam Locomotives

The first two of these models have small spirit burners underneath which raise steam and result in locomotion.  A good way to set your carpet on fire.

There are more model steam engines/locomotives here ⇐.

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V & A Toy Museum Toy Steam Engine DSC_5510

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V & A Toy Museum Toy Steam Locomotive DSC_5198

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V & A Toy Museum Toy Stevensons Rocket

Rocking Horse

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V & A Toy Museum Rocking Horse

Teddy Bears

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V & A Toy Museum Teddy Bears

Painting

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V & A Toy Museum Painting of Boy in Top Hat

“We used to make our own amusement in the old days”.

This entry was posted on July 5, 2016 by . It was filed under East London, Free, History, london, museums, Photography, places to photograph in london, Places to Visit, Travel, uk and was tagged with , , , , , .

11 responses

  1. notewords

    Reblogged this on notewords and commented:
    Just a little something…

    Like

    July 5, 2016 at 21:29

    Reply
  2. notewords

    Wonderful post and some great links! Thanks.

    Like

    July 5, 2016 at 21:29

    Reply
  3. cindy knoke

    Oh to be a child again, playing with my dollhouse! These are just magical Graham. There was another post about the V&A dollhouses. Britain has historically come up with so much wonderful enrichment for childrem, from AA Milne to Beatrice Potter to Harry Potter. I grew up with so much of it, CS Lewis to Tolkein, what a marvelous heritage!

    Liked by 1 person

    July 5, 2016 at 22:09

    Reply
    • Graham in Hats

      I thought you would like that. Brits were always somewhat of dreamers. I always found Lewis intriguing. I wonder if you have you ever come across the Screwtape Letters or Lewis’s’ Space Trilogy.

      There is more from the Museum of Childhood later, but sorry no more dollhouses. 🙂

      Like

      July 5, 2016 at 22:54

      Reply
  4. Fiona McQuarrie

    I had no idea this even existed. What a marvelous place!

    Like

    July 6, 2016 at 04:07

    Reply
    • Graham in Hats

      Yes and, from what I saw, very child friendly (i.e. several school parties and group activities.). 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      July 6, 2016 at 17:20

      Reply
  5. ladyfi

    Amazing toys! They don’t make them like that these days.

    Like

    July 6, 2016 at 05:45

    Reply
    • Graham in Hats

      Quite so. I mean, where would you put the batteries. 😀 On the other hand, toys may have had more lasting charm because of the need to use imagination. 🙂

      Like

      July 6, 2016 at 17:23

      Reply
  6. V&A Museum of Childhood

    We’re so glad you enjoyed your visit! Please do come again soon, our Collection displays get rotated to show even more of our archival material as only a small fraction can be on display at a time.

    Like

    July 6, 2016 at 13:20

    Reply
    • Graham in Hats

      Thanks for the visit and I will include your comment about stock rotation in the article/post. 🙂

      Like

      July 6, 2016 at 17:24

      Reply

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