Guide
The toy museum in Bademler village near Urla is the work of one archaeologist who was from the village himself. Musa Baran set it up in his own house on the village square, and what is in it he either collected or made with his own hands: kites, catapults, weapons cut from reed, cars made of wire, dozens of toys. Alongside them he showed the primitive farming tools he had made for teaching, to make a point about invention.
His argument was that play develops and refines itself in every part of life. He wrote books on educating children through play, on children's games, and on the past, customs and culture of Bademler village; the book on children's games was published by the Ministry of Culture in 1993.
The piece of research that made his name travelled further. Having noticed how universal toys are, he prepared a study for the 10th International Congress of Archaeology in 1973 comparing the games of antiquity with those of the present day. The paper drew considerable interest and was published in the American journal Expedition.
His conclusion is the thing to carry round the museum: what shapes games and toys is climate, material and culture. Children in countries where it does not snow cannot be expected to know how to build a snowman, and children where no willow grows will not make a willow whistle.
The museum is closed on Mondays. Its page gives two different sets of opening hours, so check by telephone before going.
