It was my birthday last 31st of January. Peter wanted to take me out for the day and I asked him if we could see some dolls. I know! I was feeling rather nostalgic for my fast disappearing childhood.
Peter researched about a doll museum and he came up with the Victoria & Albert Museum of Childhood, in Bethnal Green, East London.
It was a very good choice too. We were able to indulge in pure nostalgia; a pleasant trip to memory lane.
We saw toys, games and other forms of childhood wonderment at the museum.
Peter can’t believe that he can get up close and personal with Robby the Robot. His longtime hero/friend from one of his all-time favourite sci-fi classic movies, Forbidden Planet. I had to practically prise him away from Robby. Suddenly I saw a glimpse of Peter the child! 😉 He was obviously remembering some childhood fantasy; Peter even muttered “why are children allowed in the museum!!!”, when a little girl tried to get to know Robby the Robot as well. LOL
The museum also houses a vast, large, gigantic, huge collection of dollhouse 😉 😉 ;). I love dollhouses but the museum had a wing that is solely for doll houses. There were really old ones and there were very modern ones. There were even doll houses in apartment/flat styles. It made me think that these miniature dolls have better clothes, better furniture, better food and yes, better houses, ergo better life than real people. 🙁
There are also toys from around the world.
I saw a couple of toys which are now popular worldwide but originated from my home country, the Philippines. The toys, of course, are the yoyo and the mancala, which we call sunka in Ilocano.
There were some exquisite dolls from China, Japan and Persia.
Of course, a British toy museum would not be complete without everybody’s seaside entertainment puppetry icon, Punch and Judy.