Toy Worlds Museum Basel: Unique in Europe!

A doll plays in a store, teddy bears with pedal cars race each other, an entire amusement park is set in motion at the touch of a button: With over 6,000 objects, the Toy Worlds Museum Basel is unique in its wealth and quality.
Opened in 1998, the Toy Worlds Museum Basel is located in the heart of Basel's city center in a building dating back to 1867 and houses a unique collection of historical teddy bears, dolls, toy stores, doll's houses and contemporary miniatures on four floors and over 1,000 square meters. Antique collector's items, trouvailles and fine toys are arranged in themed worlds and mostly date from the decades around 1900.

The Teddy Bear Collection
With over 2,500 bears, the collection of the Toy Worlds Museum Basel is unique. A considerable part of the exhibition is dedicated to teddy bears from the workshop of Margarete Steiff; nowhere else are so many bears with the famous button in the ear on display. Absolute rarities are the over 100-year-old "PB models" - the world's first bears with movable limbs, manufactured by the Steiff company. But the exhibition also includes examples from traditional brands such as the British purveyor to the court Chad Valley, the French producer F.A.D.A.P. and the American gold label BMC.Dolls The extensive collection shows artistic creations from the years between 1870 and 1930 from almost all well-known manufacturers: dolls from the first major German producers J.D. Kestner, Simon & Halbig and Armand Marseille can be admired, as well as the artist-designed character dolls from Kämmer & Reinhardt and the Heubach brothers. Rarities from France, such as those by Emile Jumeau and Casimir Bru Jeune, are also on display.

Doll's houses and shops
The mass production of doll's houses began in the second half of the 19th century. Wealthy families used the doll's houses to prepare their children for their later role in society. The collection includes objects from the period between the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century. The precious rarities from Germany, France, the USA and Japan are fascinating in their originality,
The numerous merchant's drawers in the collection were artfully crafted as individual pieces and date from the years between 1880 and 1920. While some were used in children's bedrooms, others served exclusively as showpieces. In addition to the fascination triggered by the craftsmanship of their designers and the detailed furnishings, the merchant's stores provide valuable insights into the living and working environment of their time.

Carousels
The oldest carousel in the collection dates from around 1900, while the rides by artist Frans Smulders and the Autumn Fair by Marc Rippstein, which has been continuously expanded over the years, were created in the second half of the 20th century. All carousels and rides are equipped with a drive and can be set in motion at the touch of a button.

Miniatures
When it comes to miniatures, attention to detail and fidelity to scale are paramount, with the 1:12 scale ratio having established itself as the international standard. The museum has specifically commissioned artists from various countries for the collection and thus displays scenes from all over the world.

Animated storytelling tour
To mark the museum's 25th anniversary, the doll's houses, bears and stores were brought to life using innovative technology: In an "augmented reality", a digitally enriched reality, animated figures provide completely new insights into the museum's toy worlds. A teddy bear tells the story of its adventurous origins, a Basel flour soup steams in the cooking pot of the doll's house and even the Titanic sails past: the unique collection of the Toy Worlds Museum Basel comes to life. Visitors use a tablet to see how the museum objects on display develop a life of their own. Together with virtual figures, they playfully provide new insights.

Puppet murder in the museum - Crime Game
In this crime game for museum visitors aged 16 and over, a mysterious murder can be solved. Visitors slip into the role of detective Agathe Heubach, who is searching with her mother for her missing doll. Neither she nor her mother believe the increasing inconsistencies and begin to investigate. Numerous bears and dolls are interrogated.

Special exhibitions
Changing special exhibitions invite visitors to go on cultural forays several times a year. In addition to the annual Christmas exhibition, an exhibition on the theme of toy worlds opens each spring with a rich accompanying program of free workshops and events.

Shop windows
Several times a year, the shop windows of the Toy Worlds Museum Basel are staged with great attention to detail. Immerse yourself in an underwater world or snow-covered gardens - the shop windows are redesigned depending on the season and the current exhibition. What always remains the same: At least one mouse is hidden in every shop window!

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