Special Exhibits at the Doll Museum
“Everyone’s Best Friend” and “Steiff”
When visiting the Doll Museum, visitors will find two new exhibitions, “Everyone’s Best Friend” and “Steiff”, along with the permanent collection of 19th and 20th century dolls. In our 2024 exhibitions, re-meet old doll friends, enjoy memories and perhaps recall playmates who helped imagine a life for each doll or toy animal.
Beginning with Raggedy Ann and Andy, who first made their appearance in 1915, we share the famous rag dolls and the camel with wrinkled knees of storybook fame. This trio stands in for all of the homemade and manufactured versions by Volland, Georgene and Knickerbocker. Originally issued with a candy heart (which precipitated the ruin of the doll by children determined to extract it,) Ann and Andy now have a printed heart that says “I Love You” on their cloth bodies beneath their trademark clothing and red-and-white striped stockings.
Shirley Temple is presented in one of her original dresses, her fame as a child star evidenced in the many examples we have in our museum. You will find her as Baby Shirley, in her Heidi outfit, and in several versions and sizes.
Post World War II saw a proliferation of manufacturers who made lovely little girl dolls as well as baby dolls who ate and drank, said “Mama”, and may have needed a diaper change. Others walked, danced and grew hair or received home permanents! Tiny Tears, Saucy Walker, Patti Playpal and Trixie the Pixie as well as the Toni Home Permanent doll and a W.A.V.E. doll are displayed. Snow White and Pinocchio also make an appearance.
Madame Alexander, perhaps the best-known doll maker since 1923, created the hard plastic dolls of the 1950s that became fixtures in many girls’ doll collections. Whether Elise, Cissy, or a Wendy style doll, all were well-made and remain popular dolls. You might spot the Alexanders as your familiar friends.
Chatty Cathy and Crissy, along with Terri Lee and several Kathe Kruse dolls appear near the Troll house with dolls, and Cabbage Patch kids make an appearance near the Pleasant Company American Girl dolls, Samantha and Felicity. Pleasant Rowland created these dolls now produced by Mattel, who has expanded the franchise to include ethnic dolls and the Disney Girl we show in her Mickey Mouse ears.
Please note that our youngest loaner has shared her Mattel Wellie Wishers with us for the year!
Miniature Menagerie
Stuffed plush furry animals of all kinds are now in our special exhibit space! “Steiff”, the German-made animals with the gold button, from hand puppets to exotic animals, teddies and bunnies are all part of one little girl’s collection. Every Easter one of the small animals, perhaps a lion cub or a pig or a parrot, would arrive in her Easter basket, and they are in our museum for you to enjoy.
In the dining room we feature bears—the special Steiff Millenium pink and blue bears, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, “Teddy B and Teddy G” and two hungry bears enjoying a honey pot. There are also two bears playing cards! If you enjoy teddies or even a raccoon playing the piano, stop by and smile.
Open Wednesday – Friday: 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Saturday: 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m Admission is $3.00 for a self guided tour. Group tours or special group tours for Girl Scouts or children are also available for $4.00 per person. Group tours can be scheduled for weekdays or the weekend.
Doll Museum at the Old Rectory, 50 West New England Ave, Worthington OH 43085