After it closed its doors in Fitzrovia a year ago, the charmingly curious Pollock’s Toy Museum returns to London for a six-month pop-up for all things toys, games and dolls. And where has the UK’s oldest toy museum decided to (temporarily) set up shop for its return? Why, Croydon of course.
Pollock’s Toy Museum was forced to shut its former site on a quiet street behind Goodge Street after the museum was unable to negotiate a new contract with the building owners. Whilst the new pop-up is just that, a pop-up and not a permanent site for the museum and Croydon may be a bit of a random spot, we’re certainly still glad to see the whimsical museum back in action and showing off its famous collection of toy-related curiosities for another day.
The pop-up will, of course, be packed with all the unique and wonderful theatres, toys, dolls and games that the museum is known for, from Victorian dolls and rocking horses to train sets and Russian folk doll toys, there’ll be endless toys and oddities for you to see. An exclusive display of toys from the 50s-80s made in the local factory in New Addington will feature in the pop-up, along with Tri-ang toys made by the Lines Bros in their nearby Merton Factory. Guests will also be able to hear stories about the toys and chat with the museum team about toys you may remember from your childhood.
The museum pop-up opens on January 20 in the Whitgift Centre with a special opening weekend where they’ll be hosting free theatre shows for a fun family outing that both kids and adults can enjoy. It will then be open every Saturday from 10am-4pm and is absolutely free to enter although donations are welcome. Head over to their Instagram to get a glimpse of what’s in store for the pop-up.
Find Pollock’s Toy Museum Croydon pop-up at Unit 49, Whitgift Centre, Croydon, CR0 1LP. For more information head here.
