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All the United Kingdom England London Pollock's Toy Museum
Pollock's Toy Museum is permanently closed.

This entry remains in the Atlas as a record of its history, but it is no longer accessible to visitors.

AO Edited

Pollock's Toy Museum

A toy store with a century-long history preserves the craftsmanship of playthings of the past.

London, England

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Pollocks Toy Museum  
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The oldest teddy bear   rosieL / Atlas Obscura User
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This part of the museum was build in c.1750   infopollockstoymusuem / Atlas Obscura User
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Dolls Room   infopollockstoymusuem / Atlas Obscura User
Room 1   infopollockstoymusuem / Atlas Obscura User
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This part of the museum was build in 1750s   infopollockstoymusuem / Atlas Obscura User
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Mr Pollock out side his shop in c.1900 Pollock’s Toy theatre business dates back to the 1850’s  
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About

In a dimly lit Victorian building with rickety staircases, the china dolls and tin soldiers sit patiently on dusty shelves awaiting their visitors. The toy theatres of the 1800's, an all but forgotten craft that required intricate printing plates and lovingly constructed characters are displayed as if they never fell out of favor.

The Pollock's Toy Museum is named after Benjamin Pollock, one of the last printers in the toy theatre trade. A hugely popular pastime of the 1800's, people enjoyed assembling the craft kits that would unfold into their favorite stage plays, and allow them to reenact those performances at home with their families. In the 19th century, stage theatre began to shift into formats that didn't lend themselves easily to the toy theatre, and they fell out of favor.

Dedicated to preserving and appreciating the lost art of toy theatre, as well as all other types of antique playthings, the 100 year old toy shop turned museum is now housed in two adjacent buildings that serve as a retail shop as well. The displays, while appropriate for all ages, are not for those easily disturbed by leering string puppets or glass-eyed baby dolls.

Update: Pollock's Toy Museum closed in January 2023, after the owners were unable to negotiate a new contract on the building.

Related Tags

Museums Toys Collections Shops Purveyors Of Curiosities Museums And Collections

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Added By

serflac

Edited By

wheninroam, SEANETTA, KitScarson, infopollockstoymusuem...

  • wheninroam
  • SEANETTA
  • KitScarson
  • infopollockstoymusuem
  • rosieL
  • Mark Mones
  • gingercinnamon
  • jonathancarey
  • Snowdrop68

Published

February 6, 2012

Updated

January 30, 2023

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Sources
  • https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-64352604
  • http://www.lonelyplanet.com/england/london/sights/museum/pollock-toy-museum
  • http://papillonbleuuk.blogspot.com/2009/12/benjamin-pollocks-toy-shop-in-london.html
Pollock's Toy Museum
1 Scala Street
London, England, W1T 2HW
United Kingdom
51.520141, -0.135427
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