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Chicken Push Toy, c. 1920
Maker unknown
Lithographed tin
Bruce Museum Collection, 96.13.25

 

 


Beat It! Komikal Cop, c. 1920
Marx Toys
Lithographed tin
Bruce Museum Collection, 96.13.23

 

 


Wind-up Steamboat, c. 1910
Maker unknown
Lithographed tin
Bruce Museum Collection, 96.13.40

 

 


Ice Cream Wagon, c. 1930
Walt Reach Toy by Courtland
Lithographed tin
Bruce Museum Collection, 96.13.27

 

 

 Zip, Bop and Whir: Toys of the 20th Century
December 9, 2006 - July 8, 2007

Explore the story behind the evolution of 20th-century toys and the technology that makes them work in the exhibition Zip, Bop and Whir: Toys of the 20th Century. Focusing on toys that came of age in the 1900s, the exhibition is divided into four sections, each based on a different type of active-play toy: toys that roll, toys that float, toys that fly, and toys for building.

The exhibition features a collection of classic playthings spanning the 20th century - from the simplest pull-toys to battery-operated and remote-controlled toys.

  • Fisher-Price’s Dr. Duck® and Snoop ‘n Sniff® pull toys

  • Marx Komikal Kop

  • Marx train set

  • Picture and alphabet blocks

  • Tinker Toys®

  • Lincoln Logs®

  • Classic Erector Set®

  • Hot Wheels®

  • Matchbox®

    • At interactive discovery stations, visitors explore the mechanical engineering behind some of the popular toys of the 20th century.

  • Explore some of the simple mechanics and physics that make toys work.

  • Hands-on activities demonstrate how gears, springs and wind-up mechanisms make toys zip, how batteries and electricity make power toys bop, and how gravity and inclined planes make cars whir.

    • A selection of early 20th century antique toys delight the eye. These whimsical objects are drawn primarily from the Bruce Museum’s antique toy collection with supplements from the Doll and Toy Museum of New York City and private collectors. Zip, Bop and Whir: Toys of the 20th Century invites visitors of all ages to come and play and discover how some of our favorite toys work!

    The exhibition is supported by the Charles M. and Deborah G. Royce Exhibition Fund.

     

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