Marín Dolls Museum-Factory facts for kids
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| Location | Chiclana de la Frontera, Spain |
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| Coordinates | 36°25′16″N 6°09′04″W / 36.42109602°N 6.15102557°W |
| Type | factory toy museum  |
| Website | www |
 Location of Marín Dolls Museum-Factory
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The Marín Dolls Museum-Factory was a special place in Chiclana de la Frontera, a town in southwestern Spain. It was both a factory where beautiful dolls were made and a museum where visitors could learn about them. José Marín Verdugo started this factory in 1928. His dolls became very popular, not just in Spain but also across Europe. The factory even won important awards, like the Medal of Merit of Labor from the Spanish government in 1976. It also received the First World Dollmaking Award from Kraków, Poland. After José Marín Verdugo passed away, his children, Ana and Ernesto, continued running the factory until it closed in 2014.
Contents
The Marín Dolls Museum
The Marín Dolls Museum first opened its doors in 1997. Its main goal was to show off the many different kinds of dolls made by the factory. The museum had a large collection of handmade dolls. It also displayed the moulds used to create them, along with old designs and original models. The museum was located inside the factory building.
A New Home for the Collection
When the factory was taken down, the museum also closed. However, in 1999, an agreement was made with the local town hall. This agreement helped to save the valuable doll collection. Thanks to this, a new permanent exhibition opened in 2022. This new display is located in the center of Chiclana de la Frontera.
The Marín Dolls Factory
The Marín Dolls Factory was a very important part of the local economy. It provided work for many people, especially women and children. They often assembled the dolls at home using traditional methods.
Doll Styles and Craftsmanship
At first, the dolls were dressed in traditional Andalusian flamenco outfits. Later, the factory started making dolls that wore costumes from other regions of Spain and even other countries. The factory was known for its traditional doll-making techniques. This included how they made the clothing, styled the hair, added accessories, and created unique facial expressions.
Closure of the Factory
Over time, the factory found it hard to compete with changes in the market. It also faced challenges from larger companies and factories in places like China. Because of these difficulties, the Marín Dolls Factory eventually closed down. Its closure was a big loss for the community. The factory building was later taken down.
See also
In Spanish: Museo de Marín para niños
