|
Exhibit Celebrates Antique Toy Figures At The Country Museum in SpainDiscover history on a smaller scale at El Museo de Figuras de Juguete Antiguas, FIJAS, a beautiful museum dedicated to antique toys that opened its doors last May. FIJAS Collection has on exhibit the fascinating display of Malcolm Forbes’s personal collection of antique tin soldiers and other miniature figures. The museum located in Sepúlveda, a historic town near Segovia and about 60 miles from Madrid. Here patrons can explore one of the world’s most extensive collections of tin figures. 14,000 tin figures from 44 countries and 316 toy makers will be displayed for the first together.
Among the collection on display are the American toys that open a window into the culture and history of the United States. Guest will find gunslingers, cowboys and Indians from the Wild West, in addition to “dime store” tin soldiers popular during the Great Depression. Jockeys, movie stars, baseball, football heroes, and old cartoon characters are included in the American exhibit.
Step back in history at the historic building that contains the museum and while touring the picturesque town of Sepúlveda. Visitors can explore the remains of its medieval city walls and castle in addition to several Romanesque churches, including the 11th century Church of El Salvador. Don’t forget to glance upward to catch a view of the golden eagles, griffin vultures and peregrine falcons. These majestic birds can be seen over the Duratón that winds through the striking natural park, the Parque Natural de Las Hoces de Duratón. Segovia is one of Spain’s most spectacularly sited towns where a Roman aqueduct from the 1st century AD remains. Visitors can tour the last great Gothic cathedral built in Spain (1525) and the Alcázar, a classic fairy tale castle. The FIJA Collection is located at 24 Sancho García Street in Sepúlveda, the historic town near Segovia and about 60 miles from Madrid. The museum is open the first two Saturdays and Sundays of the month from 11 AM to 2 PM and 5 PM to 7 PM. Weekday and group visits can be arranged by appointment. It is closed in February. Admission is about $3 or 2.5 Euro. For information on the Antique Toy Figures on display at the museum, visit www.toyfigurespain.com or call 011-34-921-540-417. To explore travel options and information on the region of Segovia, go to www.infosegovia.com. You can also contact the Tourist Office of Spain for general information at 212-265-8822 or visit www.okspain.org. Explore exciting travel options on Spain and other countries throughout Europe by visiting: http://www.travellady.com/Destinations/europe.htm Or visit http://www.travellady.com/Special/special.htm for links to a variety of unique travel information. Edited by Melody Schubert. |
|
TM
Craftspeople from all over the world have created toy
miniatures to carefully mirror society as well as their imagination for more
than 200 years. The use of metal to craft these unique pieces began about
1765 and continued until 1960 when toy-makers changed to using plastic.
Ambassador José Manuel Allendesalazar, founder of the museum adds, “These
figures reflect the tastes and social atmosphere of the countries and
periods in which they were created.” 
Everyday events come to life. Figures collected from
Spain, Switzerland and over 40 other countries include bullfighters, circus
performers, a couple in a horse and carriage, and notable historical
figures. Visitors will also find formations of hundreds of Russian Cossacks,
Mexican banditos, British Redcoats and French Foreign Legionnaires in this
rotating exhibit. The foundation for this unusual museum was
Allendesalazar’s collection that he has acquired while traveling throughout
the world. “I wanted to offer visitors an encyclopedic view of this
pre-industrial craft,” Allendesalazar said.