The National History Museum of Romania, in partnership with the Toys Museum Association, has prepared for the public, of all ages, a beautiful exhibition dedicated to childhood and the objects which succeeded, each day, to bring a smile on the faces and the hearts of children. Carefully chosen by our friends, the toys offer children, from nowadays but also those of yesterday, the chance to live or relive the joy, emotion and innocence of the years which require no care and worries, and which are full of curiosity.
Toys factories in Romania
In 1960, Romania had eight factories that manufactured wood or metal sheets or printed books, but also had special toys sections. The 9th of May factory in Lugoj made sprinkles, wind-up toys and carousels. The Tehno-Metalica Bucharest factory made mechanical toys, bicycles, tricycles and toy trains. The MAP plastic factory from Oradea was known for making plastic toys. Wood Art factory was known for its figurines, trains and games made from wood. Red Star factory from Râșnov made the Domino game, and Agatex Timișoara traines, tambourines and other metal toys. The famous Arădeanca made hundreds of doll models.
All these factories exported 80% of the production and their toys were competing qualitatively with those from the West in the 60’s and 70’s.
The Polygraphic Banat Enterprise was the largest cardboard game making factory, with over 1000 employees. Here the famous games „Animals from the Continents”, „Piticot”, „Ludo”,or „The Dacians and the Romans” were made. Established in 1923, the Metaloglobus factory produced metal packaging, boilers, street numbers and street lamps.
In 1965 the toy section opened. Around 4-5 million spring toys, stuffed toys, telephones, mini-sewing machines, pistols, rifles, machine guns, trumpets and iron drums were produced here every year.
Exhibition authors: Cristian Dumitru and Mihai Dumitru
Coordinator: Cornel Ilie Ph.D.
Exhibition organizers: Cristian Dumitru, Mihai Dumitru, Andrei Grumeza, Valentin Pascu, Marius Andrei Trifu, Flavius Nicolae Roaita, Andrei Vasile, Teodora Bondoc, Elena Furtuna
Exhibition graphics: Alexandru Ciubotariu
Visiting hours
Wednesday – Sunday: 10.00 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Monday – Tuesday: closed
Adults – 20 lei/person
Pensioners – 10 lei/person
Students, adults with light or severe handicaps, „EURO 26” card holders – 5 lei/person
Group access shall be allowed once in five minutes.
Priority is given to visitors and groups who have scheduled their visit via phone(021 313 19 25 ) or email(relatiipublice@mnir.ro).
In the exhibition space there may be present at the same time a maximum of 150 visitors. Entry for other visitors will be allowed gradually, as soon as the other visitors end their visit and leave the building.
Between the hours 13.30-14.00 the exhibition space shall be cleaned and disinfected for the protection of the visitors. Please excuse the discomfort created.
