Brighton Toy and Model Museum facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Brighton Toy and Model Museum

Brighton Toy and Model Museum, with Brighton Belle mural
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Established	1991
Location	52–55 Trafalgar Street, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 4EB, England
Type	Toy museum, Model museum
Accreditation	Arts Council England
Collections	pre-1900, 1900–~1960s
Collection size	10,000
Founder	Christopher Littledale
Public transit access	Brighton station, beneath the station cab rank. Exit the front of the station (Queens Road), and locate the "tunnel" entrance to Trafalgar Street between the railings outside Marks & Spencers.

Brighton Toy and Model Museum's layout, showing its main display areas

A Lego model showing the museum's layout with many display areas

A beautiful dollhouse and tiny furniture from 2016

The museum's entrance, shop, and ticket area

Inside the main part of the museum

A detailed model railway from the 1930s

Another view of the museum's O-gauge model railway

The Brighton Toy and Model Museum is a special place in Brighton, East Sussex, England. It's a charity (meaning it's run for public benefit, not profit) that collects and shows off amazing toys and models. The museum focuses on toys and models made in the UK up until the 1950s and 1960s.

It opened in 1991 and has over 10,000 toys and models. The museum is built inside four old Victorian arches under Brighton railway station. These arches were once used to store beer barrels!

You can see many cool things here. There are three large model railway layouts that you can make move with buttons. There are also detailed engineered models, big radio-controlled airplanes, dollhouses, and old coin-operated arcade machines.

What You Can See

The museum has toys and models from many famous brands. These include Hornby Trains, Dinky Toys, Corgi Toys, Matchbox, and Meccano. You can also find toys from Britains Ltd., Bing, Bassett-Lowke, and Märklin.

Besides the smaller toys, there are also unique, handmade models. In the lobby, you can see a quarter-scale (meaning one-fourth the real size) traction engine and a Spitfire fighter plane.

Museum History

Building's Past

The museum is located in old brick arches. These arches were built in Victorian times to support the train station's front area. They also supported a bridge over Trafalgar Street. This bridge made it easier for people to get to the station.

Long ago, these arches were used to store beer barrels for a brewery. You can still see a red triangle symbol on three arches outside. This was the first trademark ever registered in the UK! The museum's entrance used to be stables for four horses.

The arches are considered an important historical structure. They are even listed as a "Grade II* listed building." Some people also say the building is haunted! The museum took over and fixed up this space in 1990.

About the Founder

The museum was started by Chris Littledale. He loved collecting toys since he was a child. Chris also worked with architectural models and advised auction houses like Christies on model railways.

He had many friends who were also serious collectors. Together, they decided to find a place for a museum. They wanted to show Chris's 1930s model railway and their other collections. They leased the old arches and fixed them up in 1990. The museum officially opened in 1991. Since then, the collection has grown a lot, thanks to new purchases and donations.

The Littledale-Brough Trust

In 1994, the museum created a special group called the Littledale Brough Trust. This trust helps protect the museum's collection. It means that even if the museum ever closed, the toys and models couldn't be sold off. They would stay together until they found another suitable home.

Museum Layout

Museum Lobby

You can enter the first part of the museum for free. This area has the foyer and a shop. It's also a "Visitor Information Point" for Brighton. You can get free maps and brochures here. There's a small toy shop, second-hand books, and display cases where collectors sell items.

This area also features the "Glamour of Brighton" exhibition. It has models related to Brighton, like the Brighton Pavilion and the Volk's Electric Railway. You can also see models of the old Brighton railway works and the famous Brighton Belle train.

Big exhibits in the lobby include a quarter-scale coal-fired traction engine and a large Meccano Ferris wheel. There's also a quarter-scale radio-controlled Spitfire model airplane hanging overhead.

Main Ticketed Area

The main part of the museum requires a ticket. It fills the next three arches. Here, you'll find a large 1930s 0 gauge model railway. There are also 00 gauge model railway layouts showing towns and countryside.

You can see collections of model trains, soft toys, puppets, and construction toys. There are also building sets, model ships, and radio-controlled model aircraft. You'll find toy sets for farms, circuses, zoos, and ships, plus diecast models. The museum also has special temporary exhibitions that change over time.

Main Display Areas (as of August 2025)

Central Displays

Arch Two Displays

Arches Three and Four Displays

Puppet Corner

Glamour of Brighton Exhibition

The Brighton Toy and Model Index

The Brighton Toy and Model Index is an online encyclopedia. It focuses on toys and models made up until the end of the 1960s. The museum keeps it updated. As of 2025, it has almost 10,000 pages and over 12,000 images!

This "Index" has information about most of the museum's exhibits. Visitors can look it up on screens inside the museum or use their own phones with the museum's free Wi-Fi. You can find entries by cabinet number or by scanning QR codes.

Events and Exhibitions

The museum hosts events for the Brighton Science Festival and the Brighton Fringe. They usually have special train running days twice a year, in spring and autumn. The museum's education team also arranges school visits, sometimes with puppet shows and talks.

Temporary exhibitions often celebrate important anniversaries. For example, in 2012, they had exhibitions about the 100th anniversary of the RMS Titanic and the 75th anniversary of the Coronation Scot train.

Special Projects

Frank Hornby 150th Anniversary

Poster for the Frank Hornby 150th Anniversary celebrations (2013)

In 2012, the museum received a grant to help celebrate the 150th birthday of Frank Hornby. He was famous for creating Meccano, Hornby trains, and Dinky Toys.

The grant helped the museum add more information about these toys online. It also helped set up public Wi-Fi and touchscreens. These screens let visitors find out more about the exhibits.

The Brighton Belle Mural

On September 23, 2010, a street party celebrated the planned return of the Brighton Belle train. A huge mural of a Pullman carriage was unveiled. It shows the Brighton Belle waiting at Brighton Station, with Laurence Olivier, a famous actor, pictured at a window.

Inside the museum, the "Glamour of Brighton" exhibition also opened. This mural covers the entire length of the museum.

25th Anniversary

In 2016, the museum celebrated its 25th birthday! They had special events and new exhibits. These included an improved Meccano display and a new display of old dollhouse miniatures from the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Visiting the Museum

Opening Times

The museum is usually closed on Mondays for cleaning and maintenance. It also closes for large school visits. Here are the regular opening times:

Admission Prices

Entering the shop and information area is free. To enter the main museum area, you need a ticket. Here are the prices as of May 1, 2023:

Images for kids

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  Part of the display space in the museum's fourth arch