Brighton Toy and Model Museum

06/09/2026

📚 From Page to Play: Characters from Children’s Literature

We are pleased to introduce a new changing display at the museum, featuring objects from the collection of teddy bear and antique toy specialist Daniel Agnew.

From Page to Play explores the relationship between children’s literature and the toys it inspired, bringing together familiar characters including Peter Rabbit, Winnie-the-Pooh, Alice in Wonderland, Paddington Bear and Noddy, alongside rarer examples.

Many of the toys date from the early twentieth century and include examples by Steiff, J. K. Farnell, Dean’s Rag Book Company, Chad Valley and Merrythought, displayed alongside original books and illustrations.

A selection from Daniel Agnew’s collection is on long-term loan to the museum, and this is the first in a planned series of changing displays exploring historic toys, their makers and the stories behind them.

04/09/2026

🖖 Visiting us tomorrow, Saturday 5 September? We’ve teamed up with , organisers of Brighton & Hove Comic Con, for a special weekend offer!

🎟️ Buy a ticket to the Museum tomorrow and we’ll give you a promo code for 2-for-1 entry to Brighton & Hove Comic Con this weekend.

And as we continue celebrating 60 years of Star Trek, we’re also offering FREE entry to the museum tomorrow to anyone who visits dressed in a Star Trek costume. 🚀

Need a little inspiration? On display in the museum is a boxed, as-new 30th Anniversary Barbie and Ken Star Trek Collector’s Edition Gift Set, released in 1996 and featuring the pair in classic Star Trek: The Original Series Starfleet uniforms.

03/09/2026

🚗 On this day in 1875, automotive pioneer Ferdinand Porsche was born.
Best known for his influential work in motor engineering and car design, Porsche’s name would go on to become one of the most recognisable in motoring history.

In our collection is this light blue Porsche 356A Coupé, produced by Dinky Toys as model No. 182 between 1958 and 1966. Featuring transparent windows, silver wheels, black tyres and a silver grille, the model captures the distinctive shape of one of Porsche’s most celebrated early cars. 🚙

01/09/2026

📖 On this day in 1916, the very first issue of Meccano Magazine was published!

Originally produced as a simple black-and-white publication for Meccano enthusiasts, the magazine soon grew alongside Meccano Ltd.’s expanding range of toys.

By the 1920s, it had developed into a colourful magazine, promoting much-loved products including Hornby Trains and Dinky Toys. 🚂🚗 Its pages also captured the wider world of the period, with advertisements for everything from bicycles to Brylcreem.

29/08/2026

🏍️ On this day in 1885, Gottlieb Daimler patented his pioneering motorised two-wheeled vehicle, an important milestone in the development of the motorcycle.

To mark the occasion, we’re highlighting our one-sixth scale model of a New Imperial 7B 499cc motorcycle, made by Robert Brown of Croydon in 1932.

A watchmaker and keen motorcyclist, Brown used his own New Imperial 7B as a reference, creating this remarkably detailed model. His craftsmanship earned him a medal and certificate at the Model Engineer Exhibition. 🏅

27/08/2026

On this day in 1955, the first edition of the Guinness Book of Records was published in Great Britain, documenting remarkable achievements and records from around the world. 📚

To mark the anniversary, we are highlighting several record-breakers represented within our collection:

✈️ Amy Johnson – One of Britain’s most celebrated pioneering aviators, Johnson established several long-distance flying records during the 1930s.

🚢 SS United States – On her maiden voyage in 1952, the ocean liner broke the transatlantic speed record and captured the prestigious Blue Riband.

🚂 Mallard – On 3 July 1938, the LNER A4 locomotive reached 126 mph, establishing a world speed record for steam locomotives that remains unbroken.

Together, these stories reflect an extraordinary period of innovation in transport and engineering during the 20th century.

26/08/2026

🐶 International Dog Day is celebrated every year on 26 August, celebrating dogs of all shapes and sizes!

Dogs have also found their way into the world of toys, appearing as everything from much-loved soft toys to models and familiar characters.

If you’re visiting the museum, keep an eye out! You might be surprised by how many dogs you can spot among our collection! 🐕🐾

24/08/2026

🔎 Introducing Joy’s Pick of the Month

Our museum volunteer Joy will be taking a closer look at some of the fascinating objects in our collection through our new Object Stories series.

Each month, Joy will choose an object that has caught her attention and explore the history and stories behind it.

Her first pick takes us into Brighton’s past, with a closer look at our Brighton Chain Pier models and the history of one of the town’s most famous lost landmarks.

You can read the first of Joy’s finds now on our Object Stories blog.

Read Joy’s Pick of the Month

Brighton Toy and Model Museum is a treasure trove of toys and models that extends over four thousand square feet of floorspace.

22/08/2026

On this day in 1851, the schooner America won the Royal Yacht Squadron’s regatta around the Isle of Wight. ⛵️

Representing the New York Yacht Club, America finished ahead of a fleet of British vessels to claim the One Hundred Sovereign Cup. The trophy was later renamed the America’s Cup in honour of the winning yacht.

The 1851 race marked the beginning of an enduring sporting tradition. Today, the America’s Cup is recognised as the world’s oldest international sporting trophy, bringing together developments in yacht design, engineering and competitive sailing for more than 175 years. 🏆

21/08/2026

On this day in 1920, Christopher Robin Milne was born – the real-life inspiration behind one of the most beloved characters in children’s literature. 🧸

The only child of author A. A. Milne, Christopher Robin and his childhood toys inspired the stories of Winnie-the-Pooh and the Hundred Acre Wood.

For his first birthday in 1921, Christopher Robin received a teddy bear bought from Harrods. Made by the British toy manufacturer J. K. Farnell, the bear was originally called Edward before later becoming Winnie-the-Pooh. 🍯

Christopher Robin’s adventures with his toys inspired A. A. Milne’s poetry and stories, beginning with When We Were Very Young in 1924, followed by Winnie-the-Pooh in 1926.