The Children’s Toy Museum in Florence.
In 2021, in the centre of Florence, just a couple of minutes’ walk from the city centre, a new museum, the Toy Museum, opened.
It houses two unusual private collections.
One of them is dedicated to the most famous character in Italian children’s literature. Of course, it is a puppet carved out of pine logs and named Pinocchio.
There is no better place to tell the story of his adventures and the history of the most famous Italian children’s book, because Florence is the hometown of Pinocchio’s creator, the writer Carlo Collodi.
The second part of the museum is a private collection of antique toys. In the windows of the halls live ruched dolls with real curls and porcelain faces, shabby plush animals, the first wind-up toys, old board games, Victorian-style dolls’ houses and World War I tin soldiers.
The collection is arranged chronologically, from the oldest toys of the IXX century to the early 21st century.
Some toys are very similar to those that today’s children still play with. And some are gone forever and have become part of history.
Visiting this museum is a fun way for families with children to spend time together in Florence. Parents will remember their little selves, and children will learn more about their peers who lived decades ago.
The museum is open all days except 24 and 25 December
.
