The Toy Museum

The Toy Museum is part of Den Gamle By – The Old Town Museum in Aarhus and focuses entirely on toys and play. Inside, you move through displays of around 5,000 toys, ranging in time from the 1600s up to the mid-1990s. The collection covers centuries of changing materials, designs and ideas of childhood. Set within the broader open‑air museum, it offers a quieter, more concentrated look at everyday objects that many visitors will recognise from their own lives or their grandparents’ stories, making it a clear contrast to the surrounding streets and historic buildings.

Visit The Toy Museum if you are interested in how childhood and play have changed over several centuries. With around 5,000 toys from the 1600s to the mid-1990s, it gives a compact but wide‑ranging overview. It works well as a short, focused stop as you explore the rest of Den Gamle By on a detour from Margueritruten.

A concise but wide‑ranging overview of toys from the 1600s to the 1990s, adding variety to a visit to Den Gamle By.

Planning your visit

How long to stay

30–60 minutes, depending on how closely you study the displays.

Best time to visit

Any time during normal museum opening hours; it is indoors, so weather is not a factor.

Around here

Nearby on the Margueritruten

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Frequently asked

What is The Toy Museum in Aarhus?

The Toy Museum is a museum within Den Gamle By – The Old Town Museum in Aarhus, focusing entirely on toys. It presents around 5,000 toys, dating from the 1600s to the mid-1990s. As part of the wider museum area, it offers a more concentrated, indoor look at everyday objects compared to the larger outdoor townscape.

How big is the collection at The Toy Museum?

The Toy Museum displays approximately 5,000 toys. These range from early examples from the 1600s through to toys from the mid-1990s. This span gives a sense of how materials, styles and ideas about children’s play have changed over several centuries, all within a relatively compact exhibition area.

Is The Toy Museum suitable for adults travelling without children?

Yes. Although it focuses on toys, the museum is not only for children. The displays show how toys and ideas of childhood developed from the 1600s to the mid-1990s, which can be interesting for anyone curious about social history or design. Many adults will recognise items from their own or their family’s past.

How long should I plan to spend at The Toy Museum?

Most visitors can see the main displays in about half an hour if they move fairly quickly. If you like to read labels closely, compare different periods or reminisce over familiar toys, you might want up to an hour. It is easy to combine with other parts of Den Gamle By during the same visit.

How does The Toy Museum fit into a visit to Den Gamle By?

The Toy Museum is one of several themed exhibitions within Den Gamle By – The Old Town Museum. You can include it as a short, focused stop while exploring the wider historical streets and other museums nearby. Its collection of around 5,000 toys adds another angle on everyday life alongside the buildings and other displays.

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