Raggedy Ann[e]

Gumby, Barbie, Slinky, Mr. Potato Head, Wham-O, Spirograph and Hot Wheels are all iconic brand names that were indelibly impressed upon my psyche during my childhood. They are all also elements of the current exhibit, “Toys of the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s” that is at the Missouri History Museum. Created by the Minnesota History Center, this exhibit is organized around three imagined American living rooms, with one from each decade. This show is highly interactive, with many of the toys made available for play. It is also highly nostalgic for children from those years. It is the perfect vehicle for a trip down memory lane and is especially apropos for the Christmas season. These old toys that are seemingly untouched by the intervening years help to rekindle the magic of Christmas past, for those of us who played with them when we were young.