‘Toys Stories’ bring back nostalgia
The exhibit runs at Siloam Springs Museum through Jan. 14.
From dolls to trains, card games, marbles and Lincoln Logs, toys are the focus of the Siloam Springs Museum’s latest interactive exhibit.
“Toy Stories: A Local History of Play,” has been on display since late November and will continue to be available until Jan. 14.
Museum director and historian Don Warden said the exhibit was inspired by the Christmas season.
“What’s more Christmas than toys?” he said.
While toys may seem a natural fit with children, Warden said that adults have especially enjoyed the exhibit and the nostalgia of toys from times past.
Some of the items are on display for the first time, such as the complete doll book, while others are on display for the first time in years, according to Warden. The collection includes one item on loan from Dana Snodgrass,
a 1953 Madame Alexander doll named Mary Ellen who stands an impressive 31 inches tall.
One of the oldest toys on display is a doll owned by Bertha Redfern dating between 1850 and 1900. Some of the dolls are named after the girl who gave them. For example, a doll named “Old Stella” who was made in about 1875 was given by Stella Rankin to Zella Wise in about 1900, and “Molly” was given to Ruby Miller, age 4, by Molly Peden in 1914.
Much like today, children of the past also enjoyed playing with toys that featured modes of transportation. Starting in the 1800s when new methods of travel began to emerge, children loved to play with steamboats and trains. Later they also played with cars and trucks. The museum’s exhibit features a number of trains as well as model vehicles assembled by local collector Ray Thurman.
Many of the games in the exhibit, such as marbles and Lincoln Logs, would be familiar to today’s children while others are more rare. One game from the early 1900s called PIT simulates the commodities exchange floor where players continuously trade cards without taking turns to get a corner on the market. Another game called Tiddley Winks requires a bit of skill and a lot of luck to flip game pieces into a target cup.
Museum visitors can try their hand at playing Tiddley Winks or build their own cabins out of Lincoln Logs. The interactive element of the exhibit also features a treasure hunt for toys that begin with each letter of the alphabet.
The Siloam Springs Museum’s next exhibit, which will open on Feb. 11, will focus on local artists and will include a collaborative art project with Ability Tree.
For more information about the Siloam Springs Museum, visit www.siloamspringsmuseum.com or the Siloam Springs Museum Facebook page.