Events

A miniature steam engine, a highly flammable celluloid doll or even pistols... All these objects were once the toys of the children of yesteryear. Perceived as harmless, even educational, some toys today can arouse controversy and even astonishment. Our new exhibition BAN! Forbidden Toys exhibition will give you a different view of these objects, more commonly known as ‘toys’, which have been ‘banned’ from shop shelves. The Musée du Jouet houses a collection of scientific toys, most of which date from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Mechanically dangerous or requiring the use of toxic chemicals, most of them threatened the health of young users. In addition to the physical dangers, there were issues of social conditioning, violence and ethics. Some toys have been banned from sale or denounced by consumers. This exhibition highlights objects that have been banned or should have been. Between yesterday's and today's visions, concerning safety standards, morality and societal developments, these toys invite us to reflect on the evolution of perceptions, and what they reveal about our past societies. Perhaps today's toys, which we consider harmless, will be the subject of tomorrow's debates...