Toy Collection

The Toy Collection was established in 1993. In addition to children’s toys, it offers a broader perspective on play, the act of playing, and the production of toys. The Collection features items of particular importance to Split, covering the period from the 18^th to the 20^th century.

The oldest dated pieces include an 18^th-century relief illustrating Aesop’s Fables and a 19^th-century doll. Most items, however, date from the 20^th century, with special emphasis on toys produced at Split’s Jugoplastika factory.

The Collection also includes items not intended purely for play, but designed for educational purposes or as a form of amusement for both children and adults, including Christmas decorations, theatre props, sports equipment, and books for young readers. With the 20^th century came technological innovations and new materials in toy-making, and dolls began to be produced using modern materials such as rubber and plastic.

The second half of the 20^th century saw the rise of mass-produced toys, accompanied by widespread consumption and use. In Split, local toy manufacturing was gradually supplanted by imports, either inexpensive Chinese toys or somewhat pricier, higher-quality Western toys and items designed for play, entertainment, and education.