"Mini Wonders" - Czech Toys Past and Present

„Mini Wonders“, a travelling exhibition that pays tribute to a number of Czech design icons took to the road in May 2018.

The project was designed to mark the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the Czech Republic. In 1918 Bohemia, Moravia and Slovakia came together to create the new Republic of Czechoslovakia, which having lived through the Second World War, been invaded by the Soviet Union and then destalinised, finally split into two independent republics in 1993: the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic.

The exhibition focuses on Czech toys, a tradition that dates back to the beginning of the twentieth century and features important manufacturers such as Merkur, Fatra and Detoa, as well as a number of notable contemporary designers. The oldest item in the exhibition dates back to 1920, whereas the more recent pieces were made in 2018.

The layout of the exhibition is highly innovative and original, as the toys are displayed inside miniature suitcases that have been turned into showcases with their own special lights. These are Palco projectors with medium 24° optics and a temperature of 3000 K, mounted on small sections of low voltage track, inserted along the inside edges of the cases. These miniaturised projectors guarantee a perfect result and look completely at home in this original setting: mini wonders amongst mini wonders.