Title: Coburg's Former Puppet Museum Doll Collection Seeks New Exhibition Space
Searching for a suitable location for the accommodation of around 2,000 dolls in an exhibition setting - Approximately 2,000 dolls to be showcased at new display location
Yo! Let's dish on the hunt for a fresh exhibition spot for around 2,000 puppets once housed at Coburg's now-defunct Puppet Museum.
Talks are buzzin' with museums, right Louay Yassin, Coburg's city spokesperson? Couple museums in Sonneberg and Bamberg have snatched a small portion of the goodies already. Other museums, they're all ears, with chats goin' on, pal!
Gotta say, the majority of the collection is still chillin' in Coburg's Culture Factory, Cortendorf. City's cultural department's on this case, workin' hard to figure out how to put 'em on display again. But dolls, man, they ain't like the hot stuff a decade or two ago, Yassin says.
The thought of spreadin' parts of the exhibition across various spots ain't new, Yassin says. The problem? The city ain't got any museum educators on the payroll, none who can pull off a professional exhibition. The ex-director of the Coburg Puppet Museum's workin' at the German Toy Museum in Sonneberg these days.
Visitors were dwindlin' down, and the museum closed up shop by the end of 2022. City council ain't gotta tell us why, low interest and accessibility issues were the culprits. A private foundation had plans to take the collection, show it off in Rodental near Coburg. But the project crashed in 2023, no dough for this endeavour.
The dolls, houses, accessories and whatnot date from around 1800 to 1960. The museum depicted how the bourgeoisie raised their kiddos, with the couple Carin and Hans Lossnitzer from Ettlingen kick-startin' it all back in 1987. They just happened to open shop in Coburg cuz two-thirds of the exhibits came from North Franconia or South Thuringia.
Now, no specifics on the current situation or museums involved. But hey, let's think it through:
- Assess the Collection: Conduct a thorough inventory and assessment to grasp the dolls' condition, any preservation needs, etc.
- Research Potential Hosts: Museums with a focus on puppetry, dolls, or folk art might take interest. Specialist or general cultural museums could also be winners, especially with a department devoted to performance history or folk art.
- Butt Heads with Potential Hosts: Chat with potential hosts to discuss the suitability of their museums, and negotiate the details of collaboration.
So, contact museums direct, or check their official announcements for any updates on new puppet-friendly exhibitions! Good luck, friends, let's get these dolls back in the spotlight!
- To ensure the comprehensive presentation of the dolls, it would be beneficial to propose collaborative vocational training programs for museum educators, focusing on the history and preservation of the collection, in line with the Community policy, as part of the negotiations with potential host museums that specialize in puppetry, dolls, or folk art, or have a department dedicated to performance history or folk art.
- Furthermore, we could emphasize the potential for the puppet collection to enrich home-and-garden themed exhibitions, inspiring visitors with a glimpse into the lifestyle of the bourgeoisie during the 1800-1960 era, promoting an educational and engaging experience that aligns with the visitors' interests and impacts their lifestyle understanding.
