Toy Clinic. The exhibition of the Toy Museum in Kraków

Saturday, December 18, 2021 - Sunday, February 27, 2022

  • Saturday, December 18, 2021 - Sunday, February 27, 2022

The toy exhibition at the former hospital at 15a Kopernika Street in the Wesoła district presents a selection of playthings and stories behind specific individuals, emotions and experiences. By anthropomorphising the objects, we perceive them in a more personal way, encouraging us to tell our own stories, reminisce on our old toys and their stories and find motivation to repair or creatively recycle them.

The most beloved toys tend to be the most dogeared, revealing the close relationships between kids and their toys. The exhibition features toys which have spent decades in a single family, in old boxes and cases, in dusty attics and dank cellars. Someone saved them from the rubbish tip, and they were picked up by collectors – toy doctors.

Showing toys through the prism of the ages serves as a reminder that in the past toys were handed down the generations; they were expensive, so they were carefully looked after.

The exhibition aims to encourage environmentally-friendly attitudes and promote recycling by inspiring families to get together to mend damaged toys, replace lost parts and make their own toys.

The “toy clinic” follows the philosophy of post-growth: the exhibition shows what can be repaired and how, as opposed to the current trend of replacing broken or damaged items with brand-new ones without even trying to mend them. The project is also an opportunity to discuss and reflect upon the different stages in the life cycle of objects. An important metaphor of this way of thinking is the very institution of museums which exist to protect valuable objects – and this protection involves conservation and repair work.

The exhibition is arranged in a building which served as a hospital until recently, in the library fitted with original wooden shelving and cases. The site-specific nature of the exhibition means it is designed for this particular space.

An integral part of the events are creative workshops, guided tours and meetings with collectors and experts in a range of fields.

Register for the exhibition online at www.muzeumzabawekrakow.pl
Tickets PLN 15/10, family PLN 35

ul. Kopernika 15a
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