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.

The Brighton Toy and Model Museum is an amazing place in Brighton, East Sussex, where you can explore a huge collection of toys and models! It's a special museum that focuses on toys and models made in the UK and Europe up until the mid-1900s.

The museum is located right under Brighton railway station in four old Victorian arches. It opened in 1991 and has over 10,000 toys and models. You can see everything from model train layouts to puppets, and famous brands like Corgi, Dinky, and Budgie Toys.

You'll also find cool working models, like a quarter-sized steam engine and even a Spitfire plane! It's a fantastic spot to see how toys have changed over time.

What You'll See

The museum is split into different areas, each with awesome things to discover.

Free Entrance Area

When you first arrive, you enter the museum's lobby and shop area. This part is free to visit! Here, you can grab maps and brochures. There's a small toy shop with fun items and a second-hand bookshop. You might even find some cool collectibles for sale.

This area also has the "Glamour of Brighton" exhibition. It shows off models linked to Brighton's history. You can see the Brighton Pavilion, old electric railways, and even the famous Brighton Belle train.

Some of the biggest things in the lobby include a quarter-sized, coal-fired traction engine. There's also a large Meccano Ferris wheel that actually moves! Look up to see a quarter-sized, radio-controlled Spitfire model plane hanging overhead.

Main Museum Area

Once you get your ticket, you'll enter the main part of the museum. This area fills three more arches and is packed with displays!

You'll see a huge 1930s 0 gauge model railway layout. There are also smaller 00 gauge model railway towns and countryside scenes. The museum has collections of model locomotives, soft toys, and puppets. You can also find construction toys, building sets, model ships, and radio-controlled model aircraft.

Don't miss the displays of diecast models from popular brands. These include Matchbox, Dinky Toys, Corgi Toys, and Spot-On. The museum often changes its displays, bringing out different items from its huge collection.

Events and Special Exhibitions

The museum often hosts exciting events and temporary exhibitions. It's a venue 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 also welcomes school visits, sometimes with puppet shows and talks.

Temporary exhibitions often celebrate important anniversaries. For example, they've had shows about the RMS Titanic and the 75th anniversary of the 1937 Coronation Scot train.

Museum's Story

The museum is located in old arches that were built in 1841. These arches supported the railway station's forecourt. Long ago, they were used to store beer barrels for a brewery! The museum entrance even housed four dray horses and a corn storage silo.

The museum was started by Christopher Littledale in 1990 and opened its doors in 1991. He is still the museum's director today!

In 1998, the museum had to close for three years because of flooding. This happened when road work outside messed up an old Victorian drainage system. Luckily, it reopened in 2001 after repairs. In 2004, the Duke of Gloucester even visited!

In 2005, the museum launched a "Make History Fun" campaign. Famous comedian and archaeologist Tony Robinson became the campaign's patron. He visited the museum in 2007, which got a lot of attention on BBC News.

The Brighton Belle Mural

In 2010, a special event celebrated the planned return of the Brighton Belle train. A huge mural of a Pullman carriage was unveiled outside the museum. This mural shows the Brighton Belle waiting to leave Brighton Station and covers the entire length of the museum. You can even spot Laurence Olivier, a famous actor who often traveled on the train, pictured at one of the carriage windows!

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 1800s and early 1900s.

Planning Your Visit

The museum is usually closed on Mondays for cleaning and maintenance. It also closes for large school visits on these days.

Here are the standard opening times:

Admission to the shop and information point is free. To enter the main museum area, you need a ticket. Here are the prices (from May 1, 2023):

Online Resources

The museum also runs an online resource called The Brighton Toy and Model Index. It's like an online encyclopedia about toys and models made up until about 1960. It has thousands of pages and images!

Images for kids

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  The museum's layout, showing main display areas

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  A Lego model showing the museum's internal layout

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  A beautiful Gottschalk dollhouse and miniatures

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  The museum entrance, shop, and ticket area entrance

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  Inside the museum's ticketed area

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  A detailed view of the museum's 0-gauge model railway layout

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  Another part of the 0-gauge model railway layout

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  Poster for the Frank Hornby 150th Anniversary celebrations

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