The Toy Shop, Historical toy exhibition building in Shelburne, United States
The Toy Shop is an exhibition building within Shelburne Museum that houses a substantial collection of toys, dolls, and mechanical playthings spanning the 1800s and early 1900s. The displays spread across connected rooms on the second floor, ranging from simple handmade dolls to intricate mechanical pieces.
Built in the 1950s as an extension to an earlier structure from the 1830s, it reflects construction practices common to New England farmhouses of that era. The collection it holds traces the evolution of toys and childhood across multiple generations.
The building displays toys and dolls from Europe and America spanning different eras, reflecting how childhood play changed across generations. Visitors can see how families valued both imported treasures and locally made items for their children.
Visitors can view working displays like an American Flyer toy train and examine detailed dollhouses while exploring interconnected rooms on the second floor. The space spans multiple connected areas, so wear comfortable shoes and allow ample time to take in the collection at leisure.
The collection includes approximately 30 mechanical automata, among them works by French maker Gustave Vichy that depict characters like a drunken chef and an acrobatic clown in motion. These intricate machines are remarkable examples of 19th century craftsmanship and ingenuity.
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