Play is serious

The Spielzeug Welten Museum Basel (Toy Worlds Museum Basle) celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.
To mark the occasion, doll's houses, bears and grocery shops will come to life thanks to modern technology. Animated figures will offer totally new insights into the museum's toy worlds with augmented reality. The anniversary exhibition, which opens on 18 March with a preview for young and old, will be entirely devoted to play: children have always played and will always play – for no less than 15 000 hours on average until we reach our sixth birthday. And that's a good thing: in play, we learn many skills that we need in order to lead an independent life later on. So play is about more than just having fun. Play is serious!

Animated narrated tour: stories from the world of toys
A teddy bear tells the adventurous story of his development, soup steams in a pot of the doll's house and even the Titanic sails by. The unique collection at the Spielzeug Welten Museum Basel (Toy Worlds Museum Basle) comes alive. Visitors can use tablets to watch the museum's exhibits developing a life of their own. Together with virtual figures, they provide new insights into a very wide variety of topics in playful form.

The additional children's track makes zeppelins fly through the room, tennis balls bounce through the air and notes dance out of the gramophone towards you.

We asked the experts: five positions on the importance of playing
Play is one of the most important drivers in human development. Experts explore the history of play and its importance for our development in five videos.

Bowling alley
An extensive bowling alley is installed around the interview stations: visitors young and old can make bells ring with the balls, overcome small hurdles – and in doing so become part of the exhibition themselves.

Programme
The highlight is the big party to mark the 25th anniversary of the Spielzeug Welten Museum Basel (Toy Worlds Museum Basle) on 27 August 2023. In addition to a variety of games, a wealth of crafting opportunities and a photo box, a competition will be held: any visitor wearing a fancy dress costume appropriate to the museum can take part. There will be prizes for the 25 most imaginative costumes.