The diverse collection was built up over more than 30 years by Helga Weidinger from Baden. The doll and toy museum of the municipality of Baden was opened in 1990 and is located in an outbuilding of the Attemsvilla, built in 1838 in the country house style of the Biedermeier period, next to the casino near the spa gardens. The small, cozy rooms provide the ideal setting for the museum.
The oldest pieces are a peep box from 1760 and a paper dress doll with 8 "robes" from 1820. The smallest movable doll, measuring just 12 mm, was made of wood in the first half of the 19th century in Val Gardena in South Tyrol. Most of the dolls and doll's houses in the museum date from around 1900. Dolls were made from a wide variety of materials: in addition to porcelain, papier-mâché, fabric, leather, celluloid and wax. The articulated dolls usually have heads made of matt bisque porcelain, real hair or mohair wigs and a movable articulated body with limbs turned from wood and a torso made of papier-mâché. The eyes are made of glass. As the materials are all very delicate, playing with the dolls was not without its problems. The precious dolls were often only allowed to be played with on special occasions or in the presence of the nannies. Above all, the diverse doll's houses are a highly interesting miniature image of the adult world of the time in terms of cultural history.
Doll and Toy Museum Baden © Doll and Toy Museum Baden
The doll's rooms are extremely rich and furnished with a tremendous love of detail and impressive craftsmanship. There are also many stuffed animals, animals on wheels and old teddy bears from the Steiff company in the museum. The Steiff company was the first teddy bear manufacturer in 1902 and named the previously nameless bear after the American President Theodor "TEDDY" Roosevelt. The lovingly, mostly handmade toys as miniature images of the "world of the greats" also give everyone a valuable insight into life back then. The collection not only delights children - adults also go into raptures when looking at it and feel transported back to their own childhood.
Tuesday to Friday: 4 - 6 p.m.
Saturday, Sunday and public holidays: 2 - 6 p.m.
Closed on December 24, 25, 26 and 31 and on January 1
www.puppenmuseum-baden.at
Doll and Toy Museum Baden © Doll and Toy Museum Baden
