Brighton Toy and Model Museum is home to Toys in the Community, a HLF funded project which aims to collect peoples’ memories of toys and play
Toys in the Community is an exhibition which is available online and as a touring installation. It can be taken to schools, community centres and other events as a springboard to get people talking about their own memories of childhood and play and we encourage anybody interested in hosting the exhibition to think about using it to support a reminiscence session. Reminiscence sessions involve groups of people getting together and revisiting their memories of toys and the games they played as children. It’s always interesting to find out the different games we played and reflect upon what part these toys and games had in moulding our lives, making us the person we are today. 
Brighton Toy and Model Museum will play host to the Toys in the Community exhibition first
The exhibition will be appearing in Brighton Toy and Model Museum on Sunday, February the 28th and Monday the 29th. After that it will be available to book except on May 12th when it will be in the museum again as part of Brighton Festival Fringe / Museums at Night projects.
The travelling exhibition includes colourful display boards which have photographs and quotes from participants in the project, a Memories Book where people are encouraged to write about and even draw pictures to illustrate their memories, Reminiscence Boxes that hold examples of dolls, bears, construction toys, action figures, accessories, books and photographs that people are encouraged to look at and play with in order to bring back their own thoughts and feelings. We have a website containing films and photos of toys and people talking about their toys. There is an ebook which you can download to read at your leisure.
We are very keen that we capture these memories in order to save them for posterity
Childhood is fleeting and childhood experiences play an important role in forming the people we grow up to be. In order to store and make these memories available to others, we would like to create an archive people of talking about the memories the exhibition brings back. You can add to this online simply by submitting your own story in writing, an audio recording or video. You can also record your memories by visiting the exhibition and talking to one of Brighton Toy and Model Museum’s staff. There will be somebody from the museum on hand to record you there and then or you can book an appointment for a suitable time when you can come to the museum and we can film or record you in comfort.
Bring the event to you
The travelling exhibition is currently accompanied free of charge by an organiser who has experience of holding reminiscence sessions and group discussions. They will be on hand to set up the exhibition, talk about the aims and objectives, host discussion and answer any questions visitors may have concerning the project.
If you would like to find out where the exhibition will be next, book it for your venue, or simply want to add a memory of your own, just go to the toysinthecommunity.org website or email memories@brightontoymuseum.co.uk
