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A Guide to the MINT Museum of Toys, a Museum of Childhood Memories!
- Things to Know
- How to Get Here
- What Exhibits to See
- The Public Gallery
- Outerspace
- Characters
- Childhood Favorites
- Bedtime Stories
- Collectables
- Birth of Astroboy
- Spooky Horror
- Beatles Memorabilia
- POP-UP in the Museum
- What to Do
- Watch a movie in MINT Lumens
- Join Happy Hour in the Museum
- Bring out the inner child in you in The Little Prince
- Host a special event
- Where to Eat: Vertigo 26
- Where to Shop: MINT Shop
Ever since I was a child, I’ve been a toy collector. Action figures, plushies, and dolls, you name it, I have it. So, you can just imagine how thrilled I was when I heard that there’s a museum dedicated to toys in Singapore!
The MINT (Moment of Imagination and Nostalgia) Museum of Toys is simply a haven for people like me. With over five stories, this place holds over 50,000 toys and collectables from over 40 countries. Many of these toys are even vintage—as in over 100 years old!
Eager to let your inner child loose here? If so, feel free to use this ultimate guide to the museum.
Things to Know
Address: 26 Seah St
Operating Hours: Tuesday to Sunday—9:30 am to 6:30 pm
Contact Number: +6563390660
Admission Fee: From S$30
How to Get Here
By MRT: Take the East-West Line MRT, then alight at the City Hall Station. From there, walk to the museum, which should take about eight minutes.
By Bus: Ride any of the following bus services: 7, 32, 51, 61, 63, 80, 145, 175, 197, and 851. Then, alight at the bus stop in front of the Cosmic Insurance Building. From there, it should be a three-minute walk to the museum.
By Car: There’s no dedicated parking lot here, but there are parking spaces nearby. You can find them in Bras Basah Complex, the National Library, and Raffles Hotel.
What Exhibits to See
The Public Gallery
From: mintmuseumoftoys
The Public Gallery is the first thing you’ll come across when you enter the museum, and already, it leaves quite the impression. This exhibit is mostly populated with vintage enamel advertising signs and vintage decorative tins, so you’ll feel like you’ve been transported to the 1950s.
To make things better, this exhibit also has several augmented reality touchpoints. If you have the MINT Museum of Toys app (available on both the App Store and Google Play Store), you can scan these touchpoints and see the art on the enamel signs come to life!
Outerspace
From: mintmuseumoftoys
If you love science fiction-y and futuristic toys, then you need to check out the Outerspace exhibit.
This exhibit documents the evolution of robot toys. It’s fascinating to see how the topics of robots and space travel exploded in the 1930s. I love seeing vintage toy spaceships or action figures of popular characters in TV shows like Daleks in Doctor Who.
This exhibit also has several comics. I love browsing them to see what writers and artists of the past think of how technology will change the future.
Characters
From: mintmuseumoftoys
Calling all fans of comic books, cartoon shows, and all sorts of fandoms—Characters is the exhibit you must check out in this museum. This exhibit focuses on the history of cinematic animations and comic books.
It displays toys and action figures of characters in different cartoon shows and comic books. I grew up on Disney films, so you can imagine my joy when I saw toys of characters from the classic Disney fables and fairytales. I was also thrilled to see action figures of Tom and Jerry and Bugs Bunny!
Childhood Favorites
From: mintmuseumoftoys
The first time I stepped foot inside the Childhood Favorites exhibit, I felt like I was back to being a child.
This exhibit features all sorts of stuffed toys. Some of these stuffed toys have been around for over a century. The perfect example is the Steiff Teddy Bear, which is believed to be about 120 years old!
My favourite thing about this exhibit is that it features teddy bears from all over the world. It’s so interesting to see how the teddy bears from the UK differ from the ones in China and Germany.
Bedtime Stories
From: mintmuseumoftoys
Another exhibit that makes you feel like you’re a little kid again is Bedtime Stories. This one features beloved characters from well-known bedtime stories, which include fables, fairy tales, and popular children’s novels.
As a Winnie the Pooh lover, I’m thrilled that this character is heavily featured in this exhibit. There are various plush toys depicting Pooh, and his friends like Piglet, Tigger, and Eeyore also get the same love.
Collectables
From: mintmuseumoftoys
Some toys throughout time don’t make it to the present day. Fortunately, this exhibit puts them on display. They rack up high prices in auctions due to how rare they are to find now!
Some of the main highlights of this exhibit include the Mickey Mouse Talkie Jecktor and the original Snakes and Ladders board game. There are also early toys and traditional folk games here, including marbles and spinning tops.
Birth of Astroboy
From: mintmuseumoftoys
Astroboy is one of the most popular and influential series there is, so it’s not a surprise that this museum honours it. If you’re a big fan, then the Birth of Astroboy exhibit is a must-visit!
This exhibit has toys and other forms of memorabilia for this popular manga series. The main highlight here is the Astroboy Rocket, which is a lithographed tin toy with an internal friction motor. You can activate it like it’s a real rocket!
Spooky Horror
From: mintmuseumoftoys
I’m not the biggest fan of horror, but I do admit that I find this genre, as a whole, intriguing. The different creatures—from spooky ghosts to man-eating monsters—are so fascinating, and they’re usually based on folklore.
That’s why I loved exploring the Spooky Horror exhibit. This one features toys that are based on ghosts, ghouls, and other monsters from movies, games, and comics.
My favourite section is the one dedicated to the strange beasts of Japanese media like Godzilla, Giras, and King Ghidorah. Badass monsters if you ask me!
Beatles Memorabilia
From: mintmuseumoftoys
Whether you were caught up in Beatlemania back in the 1960s or you only became a fan recently, the Beatles Memorabilia is an exhibit you don’t want to miss out on.
In a way, this exhibit is a history lesson on the Beatles. It documents the band’s meteoric rise to superstardom, with displays of their album records, songbooks, news article clippings, and photographs taken during concerts.
This section also houses limited editions of albums and novelty merchandise, which I love to see. My favourite item to see here is the Corgi die-cast toy of the submarine, which was first issued in 1968 and was featured in the Beatles film Yellow Submarine.
POP-UP in the Museum
From: mintmuseumoftoys
POP-UP in the Museum is probably my favourite exhibit here because the displays change often, so I always have something to look forward to. From what I’ve noticed, topics often range from historical toys to popular toys in the 21st century.
The best part is it also has cinematic screenings and interactive workshops. The last time I came here, the exhibit had a racing car craft workshop that was open to children. It was fun seeing all the little kids making their own paper cars!
What to Do
Watch a movie in MINT Lumens
From: mintmuseumoftoys
Did you know that the MINT Museum has its own movie theatre? And did you know that when you purchase the general admission ticket, you can watch a movie in said movie theatre for free?
For me, the great thing about MINT Lumens is that it doesn’t screen the current blockbusters. Instead, it highlights movies from the past, usually classic films released all the way back in the 1920s—when Hollywood was still new!
I greatly appreciate that I can just come here and watch classics like The Wizard of Oz and Casablanca whenever I want.
Join Happy Hour in the Museum
From: mintmuseumoftoys
Drinking alcohol while inside a museum? Yes, please! If you share my enthusiasm, then you’ll be delighted to know that the MINT Museum hosts an event called Happy Hour in the Museum from Tuesdays to Sundays!
Plus, you’ll be drinking wine while exploring a few exhibits. I feel like a character from a movie whenever I do this—maybe an art snob who has a penchant for wine and museums.
Bring out the inner child in you in The Little Prince
From: mintmuseumoftoys
I’ve been the biggest fan of The Little Prince ever since I read the book when I was a teenager (I’ve been rereading it at least once a year since then). So, when I heard that this museum has a program inspired by this book, I was over the moon!
The Little Prince program has several levels. First, there’s the recreation of the Little Prince’s memories on asteroid B-612 (using only the toys in the museum!). Then, it’s followed by a serving of childhood snacks that evoke memories of your own childhood.
Throughout the program, you’ll come across thematic backdrops and photo and dress-up props. You can best believe that I took advantage of this!
Host a special event
From: mintmuseumoftoys
If you love this museum so much, then you might want to host a special party here. The best part is there are several venues available—there’s one per level—so you can choose one that fits your vision and needs.
For birthday parties, I recommend the event space on Level 3 because that one is spacious and has a high ceiling. The Level 2 venue is also great for parties, especially if you’re planning to give out goodie bags because this one has several shelves.
If you want a more intimate event—and adults-only—then you can’t go wrong with the rooftop bar space. It’s cosy and breezy and boasts a commanding view of the city.
Where to Eat: Vertigo 26
From: kiamchyecharoti
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Thursday—5 pm to 12 am
- Friday and Saturday—5 pm to 1 am
Contact Number: +6564911391
Hungry after roaming around the museum for an hour or two? Then, you better head to the basement where you can find Vertigo 26, the museum’s very own chill and intimate bar.
My go-to order here is the steak frites. The Black Angus striploin is savoury and wonderfully tender—literally melts on my tongue—while the fries are crispy and perfectly salty. This dish is also pretty big, so I can share it with a friend!
Where to Shop: MINT Shop
From: mintmuseumoftoys
Just like any other museum, the MINT Museum has its own small gift shop. This one sells replicas of popular vintage toys, so if there’s one from the exhibits that you really like, you can find a replica here.
This store also has original toys and mugs and other chinaware with the faces of popular anime characters.
My favourite items are the traditional board games because I love playing board games with friends. My collection is mostly made up of recent board games, so I want to add more traditional options like Backgammon whenever I can.