Teddy Bear Museum of Naples facts for kids
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| Established | 1990 |
|---|---|
| Dissolved | 2005 |
| Location | Naples, Florida |
Imagine a place filled with thousands of teddy bears! The Teddy Bear Museum of Naples was a special museum in Naples, Florida, USA. It opened its doors in 1990 and welcomed visitors until 2005. This museum was a non-profit place, meaning it used money from tickets, its gift shop, and donations to keep running. They even had a 'Hug Club' for supporters!
Contents
The Museum's Story: How It Began
The idea for the museum started with a woman named Frances Pew Hayes. She received a small M&M's teddy bear from her grandchild. This little gift sparked a big passion!
Frances began collecting teddy bears. Her collection grew so much that she decided to open a museum. Six years later, in 1990, the Teddy Bear Museum opened its doors.
Growing the Teddy Bear Collection
Over time, the museum's collection became huge. It grew to include about 5,500 different teddy bears! Many of these bears were given to the museum by other collectors.
In the late 1990s, the museum was sold to North Collier Hospital. The hospital hoped to move the museum to a new spot. This new spot would be part of a children's hospital. However, this plan did not work out. The museum then became separate from the hospital again.
Why the Museum Closed Its Doors
Frances Pew Hayes, the museum's founder, passed away in 2004. A year later, in 2005, the museum director, George Black, made a sad announcement. He said the museum would close.
All the teddy bear exhibits would be sold. There were a few reasons for the closing. It cost too much to run the museum. Also, there were not enough volunteers to help. Finally, not as many people were visiting the museum as before.
Exploring the Teddy Bear Museum
The main museum building had a cool circular shape. It had an open space in the middle, called a central atrium. There was also another small building next to it. This building held a gift shop where visitors could buy teddy bear souvenirs.
Inside the museum, there were many fun exhibits. You could see a Teddy Bears' Picnic. There was also a teddy bear parade. Another exhibit showed a teddy bear wedding ceremony. The museum even had a "beard of directors" display! Plus, there were collections of teddy bears from all over the world.
The Annual Teddy Bear Fair
One of the most exciting events was the Teddy Bear Fair. The museum held this fair every year. It usually happened in October. The fair was full of fun activities for everyone.
Visitors could play games and enjoy performances. Bands and other groups would perform live music. There were even petting zoos! The fair first took place at Cambier Park in Naples. Later, when the hospital owned the museum, the fair was held at the hospital grounds.
