Across a collection of a thousand toys over the ages, this Parisian museum gives you the opportunity to dive into the world of childhood while also providing an insightful view of the development of human culture.

This original exhibition entitled Of Toys and Men is staged by the Grand Palais in Paris and jointly organised with the Helsinki Art Museum, who will host it as from February 2012. It brings together 1000 unique items, including some dating back to antiquity. The toys on display as part of this retrospective curated with the support of the Decorative Arts Museum in Paris, come from prestigious European museums as well as private collections and are organised around different themes including the world of animals, the media age along with sections for girls’ toys and boys’ toys.

As they wander through the exhibition, visitors will find themselves thinking about the role of toys in our lives, but also on the way these objects, so inseparable from childhood, have evolved over time, a mix of conforming to stereotype and true breaks with tradition.

While it asks both social and cultural questions, this exhibition is also full of magical, fun moments thanks to its stunning design. Teddy bears, dolls, robots and trains sit side by side the many visuals together with 15 original interactive installations created by the video artist Peirrick Sorin.

Fancy rediscovering your childhood? Well, here’s your chance to… play!

Of Toys and Men:

• Galeries Nationales du Grand Palais, Paris
• 14 September 2011 – 23 January 2012
• Further Information : Of Toys and Men
• Open every day (except Tuesdays) from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., late night on Wednesdays until 10 p.m. – Anticipated opening at 9 a.m. instead of 10 p.m. during All Saints and Christmas school holidays.

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