The meaning of play for the individual child is explored, as is play without toys and in groups. Examples of girls and boys toys, as well as different indoor and outdoor games, can be seen. The exhibition also shows the ways in which toys have changed through the centuries, according to the time, place and social context in which they were made. At the heart of the exhibition is a large town of doll s houses, where the light changes from night to day. The exhibition describes the traditional production of toys as commodities in Germany and Denmark, as well as the latest sales and production techniques in a world market of multinationals.
Danish toys have a special place in the exhibition.
The first Danish toy producers were one-man businesses, many of which no longer exist. During the depression of the 1930s, the number of small family businesses increased, although of these only LEGO remains today. During the Second World War more small businesses opened to supply the toys no longer imported from Germany. Danish toys have often been made of wood, including those produced by prisoners and sold by The Danish Toy Company between 1905 and 1977. Kay Bojesen s wooden blocks, model animals and ships were familiar as early as 1922, but it wasn t until 1932, when modern unpainted wooden toys, building blocks etc. became popular, that such toys were manufactured on a larger scale.