The Paris Musée des Arts Décoratif (Museum of Decorative Arts) is playing host to an art exhibition of a different kind. Tomas Mowlam goes back to his childhood.

It can often be difficult to keep kids occupied on holiday and Paris doesn’t have a reputation as the most child friendly of places, but there’s one exhibition guaranteed to amuse and entertain kids, even the adult ones.

Once upon a Time there was Playmobil traces the history of one of the most popular children’s toys in the world.

German toy designer Hans Beck (1929-2009) was working for the toy company Horst Brandstätter, when the oil crisis of the 1970s forced them to develop new toys that used less plastic.

Beck’s figures were flexible and safe for kids, unlike tin figures, and first hit the shops in 1975. The classic themes of knights, pirates, cowboys and Native Americans are still just as popular, alongside new ranges which go all the way from ancient Egypt to dinosaur adventures.

Expect a riot of colour with displays of figures both large and small; enough bright and shiny plastic to distract your kids for hours.

In even the most jaded adult, something about the bright primary colours and smiling faces of the figures brings out a little bit of the inner child.

Playmobil is so well loved that children send in thousands of letters to the company with new designs, they said:

“The young fans send their ideas and make suggestions. Sometimes they ask for war and horror items as well. From the beginning Hans Beck decided not to develop any aggressively violent items or short-lived trends. The company maintains this philosophy today.”

This innocent outlook is maybe why Playmobil gives us such fuzzy feelings long after we’ve stopped playing with them.

The museum is on 107, rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris. Champs-Elysées/Louvre district. The nearest metro stop is Tuileries or you can take any of the following bus routes: 21, 27, 39, 48, 68, 69, 72, 81, 95.

—–

Image Credit: Kwan Kwan

Tags: France, P&O Ferries // 1 Comment »