Dolls are not only played with by girls, but also by boys. So even if you have a son, you can take him to one of Germany's largest doll museums, the Hessisches Puppenmuseum, located in the small town of Hanau on the outskirts of Frankfurt am Main. The German Puppet Museum is different from similar cultural institutions elsewhere in the world.
It's not just about toys in the classic sense, but about the evolution of this most cherished of children's toys. The permanent exhibition of antique toys, dating back to the 4th century AD, includes Egyptian Ushebti figurines and a number of other equally interesting antique specimens. Modern handmade author dolls complete the historic toy collection.
Monte Mare Water Park, an aquatic center, is 15 km from the museum
The Doll's House Museum in Hanau has three halls, one for old dolls, one for doll's houses and rooms, and the third for modern toy houses of the famous Mini Mundus brand with the most fashionable interiors. The German Doll's House Museum was founded in 1983 on the initiative of the city of Hanau and the state of Hesse. The museum's exhibition is based on the extensive collection of Gertrude Rosemann's toys, which the city council bought from the owner and donated to the museum.
Your son or daughter can wander through the displays of old toys and see for themselves what their elders played with many centuries ago. Shepherds with sheep and cows, clay soldiers, farmers with carts, animal figures, lords of the manor — everything that formed the basis of the old world can be found in the museum. The ancient dolls for girls are mostly figurines of the ancient goddesses Venus, Hera, Artemis, etc. Some of the ancient toys still have their original colour, which used to be very bright.
The Japanese doll collection is of particular interest in this cultural institution. It is worth noting that in the Land of the Rising Sun, girls are brought up with love and respect for their future husbands and family. Therefore, dolls in Japan have a special and unique appearance. They seem to have a soul that the talented craftsmen of the past gave to their beloved objects. The highlight of the collection are the dolls that imitate a real imperial court.
The display of mechanical toys is always surrounded by boys, because young technicians have always been interested in real manly things. Mechanical dolls, soldiers, cars and steam locomotives have been around since the invention of the watch spring. Dancing musical figurines of beautiful ladies are very popular with girls. Little princesses also enjoy looking at the toy crockery, including some rare items made of real porcelain.
