Toy Boats Exhibition

Throughout the year so far I have become really interested in gallery design particularly in museum and cultural spaces. I have always visited the National Maritime Museum since I was very young and have always thought of it as such an under rated museum for all the excellent exhibitions, shows and work it displays. The other day whilst researching one of its galleries I visited its Toy Boats exhibition. If I am honest I do not have the biggest interest in the history of toy boats however the way in which this exhibition and its promotional material was designed was brilliant. 

The way in which the museums design team create such contemporary gallery designs whilst exhibiting about more traditional and historic subjects is inspiring. Furthermore they are able to do it without infringing on the buildings traditional Palladian style but instead incorporating it to emphasis the contrast between the subject and design. 

Instead of the exhibition design coming across as lazy, some designers may think that they have designed without thinking of content, the concept of the exhibition is to document the rapid changes in ship design and technology in the 19th century and the toy boats that were made in response by major toy manufacturers and so the bright colours mimic those that you usually see in a toy shop. Another concept explored, I think, is that fact that toy makers never made accurate replicas of boats, instead they took elements from different boats, simplified and exaggerated them and then combined them to create toys that would express the excitement and adventure children craved and the colours and design are exaggerated of that you would usually associate with the see. 

It is rare to see such vibrant colours and graphics used in a traditional setting whilst discussing maritime history but the contrast between the two complimented each other very well. It is because of the museums bold working direction that it is able to give a lease of new life to subjects that if dealt with in a more sombre tone would come across as pretty boring. 

*You are not usually allowed to take photographs in this exhibitions as most of the toys come from the collection of the Musée national de la Marine in Paris and a number of toys are from British collections and so they can not be photographed. I asked permission to take photos of the walls and colours used so please do not visit the exhibition and take photographs.