Nel Small Museum of Dolls and Other Toys you can admire porcelain dolls, cloth dolls, celluloid dolls, papier-mâché dolls, but also dollhouses, small shops, and kitchens complete with plates, pans, and cups. There are also constructions, plush animals, rocking horses, and a section dedicated to handcrafted dolls from various parts of the world. One section of the museum tells the story of school life through the display of some books, notebooks, pens, nibs, and inkwells, while another space is occupied by period clothing for children and infants. The museum aims not only to be a nostalgic journey into the past but also a comparison with the ways of living and playing in different eras.
Founded in 2006, the small doll museum was created from the desire of its founder, Graziella Gardini Pasini, to share her private collection of dolls and toys, gathered over decades. In the museum, you can admire porcelain dolls, cloth dolls, celluloid dolls, paper dolls, and other toys produced between the mid-1800s and the mid-1900s. In the exhibit, the dolls are placed in a dedicated miniature environment.
In this regard, there are dollhouses, kitchens, rooms complete with all kinds of furnishings, real “dollhouses.” The museum features some important pieces from brands that have made doll history, such as Jumeau, Armand Marseille, Lenci, Kathe Kruse, Furga, Tartaruga, Minerva, and a small collection of Kewpie. It should be noted that in the small shop located at the museum’s entrance, you can purchase not only the catalog but also publications and gadgets.
