Mint Museum of Toys
Encyclopedia
The Mint Museum of Toys is the world's first purpose-built museum for toys, which showcases a private collection of vintage toys, including rare and unique one-of-a-kind pieces from around the world. It was officially opened on March 5, 2007 and officiated by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr George Yeo
. The museum is located at 26 Seah Street, in the Arts & Heritage district of Singapore
.
MINT is an acronym for "Moment of Imagination and Nostalgia with Toys" and also defines the exhibits in the collection, of which majority are in "mint condition" though they are vintage.
The museum collection includes more than 3,000 pieces of vintage toys and childhood memorabilia from the mid-19th century to mid-20th Century. All the toys displayed in the museum are the lifetime collection of Singaporean, Chang Yang Fa, an alumnus of St Andrew's School.
Exhibits on display include Disneyana toys, Astro Boy, Batman
, Bonzo the Dog
, Dan Dare
, Popeye the Sailor, Pre-war Japanese toys, including a 'Door of Hope' Chinese doll collection dating from the turn of the 20th Century, Teddy Bear
Collection as well as Chinese comics and comic covers dating from 1920's, Tintin
collectables and many others. The collection is said to originate from over 40 countries worldwide.
Besides exhibiting vintage toys and childhood memorabilia, the museum's collection also includes a large collection of enamel signs and tin boxes which are displayed in the museum's restaurant and wine bar.
The museum was designed to exhibit the toys in an optimum environment while at the same time preserving their fragile condition. The window-less building prevents UV-rays from reaching the exhibits; the shelves are fitted with LED lights; shelvings are designed such that no shadows are cast on the exhibits. The building's signature facade, which is made up of 26 glass panes shaped into a wavelike structure, gives the museum an iconic status in Singapore's urban landscape.
George Yeo
George Yeo Yong-Boon is a former politician from Singapore. A member of the governing People's Action Party , he served in the Cabinet from 1991 to 2011 as the Minister for Information and the Arts , Minister for Health , Minister for Trade and Industry and Minister for Foreign Affairs...
. The museum is located at 26 Seah Street, in the Arts & Heritage district of Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
.
MINT is an acronym for "Moment of Imagination and Nostalgia with Toys" and also defines the exhibits in the collection, of which majority are in "mint condition" though they are vintage.
The museum collection includes more than 3,000 pieces of vintage toys and childhood memorabilia from the mid-19th century to mid-20th Century. All the toys displayed in the museum are the lifetime collection of Singaporean, Chang Yang Fa, an alumnus of St Andrew's School.
Exhibits on display include Disneyana toys, Astro Boy, Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
, Bonzo the Dog
Bonzo the dog
Bonzo the dog is a fictional character created by British artist George E. Studdy in the early 1920s. He was a chubby little white pup with sparse black spots, a stubby tail and big blue eyes...
, Dan Dare
Dan Dare
Dan Dare is a British science fiction comic hero, created by illustrator Frank Hampson who also wrote the first stories, that is, the Venus and Red Moon stories, and a complete storyline for Operation Saturn...
, Popeye the Sailor, Pre-war Japanese toys, including a 'Door of Hope' Chinese doll collection dating from the turn of the 20th Century, Teddy Bear
Teddy bear
The teddy bear is a stuffed toy bear. They are usually stuffed with soft, white cotton and have smooth and soft fur. It is an enduring form of a stuffed animal in many countries, often serving the purpose of entertaining children. In recent times, some teddy bears have become collector's items...
Collection as well as Chinese comics and comic covers dating from 1920's, Tintin
Tintin
Tintin, Tin-Tin or Tin Tin may refer to:* The Adventures of Tintin , the series of classic comic books created by Belgian artist Hergé...
collectables and many others. The collection is said to originate from over 40 countries worldwide.
Besides exhibiting vintage toys and childhood memorabilia, the museum's collection also includes a large collection of enamel signs and tin boxes which are displayed in the museum's restaurant and wine bar.
Architecture
The collection is housed within an award winning five-storey contemporary building designed by Chan Soo Khian, Principal Architect of SCDA Architects. The building has garnered international awards including The Chicago Athenaeum, Museum of Architecture and Design “International Architecture Awards” 2007 and was Runners Up in the Commercial Building Category for the Cityscape Architectural Review Award, held on 4 December 2006, at Cityscape Dubai 2006. The museum was also awarded the 2007 International Architectural Award for Best New Global Design by the Chicago Athenaeum.The museum was designed to exhibit the toys in an optimum environment while at the same time preserving their fragile condition. The window-less building prevents UV-rays from reaching the exhibits; the shelves are fitted with LED lights; shelvings are designed such that no shadows are cast on the exhibits. The building's signature facade, which is made up of 26 glass panes shaped into a wavelike structure, gives the museum an iconic status in Singapore's urban landscape.