Today we went to the Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green. They had a Space Age – exhibition on, one item being a meteorite from outer space, which visitors were encouraged to touch.
Noteworthy facts:
- a lot of the great toys and inventions were either German or French
- it’s a great place for kids, and admission is free
- you can indulge in a bit of nostalgia (you’ll remember some of the toys from your own childhood)
- the Doll’s Houses are pretty cool and probably my favourite bit
A doll’s house I particularly liked was that of Amy Miles (1890). On the microsite you can see a video animation of a room on the second floor, and one on the third floor, of Amy Miles’ doll’s house.
How to be Happy 
A couple of times in Neil Munro’s stories of Scottish stereotypes such as Para Handy, Erchie, and Jimmy Swan – mostly from before the First World War, in this case especially – it was mentioned that pretty much all consumer goods came from Germany, nowadays. Today it’s China. It’s been Japan, Taiwan, South Korea – depending partly on international trade treaties, I suppose, and labour and safety laws. If China finally refuses to be exploited, there’s still Africa.