Miniature stages and the history of pantomime will take the spotlight at Brighton Toy and Model Museum when its new toy theatre exhibition opens on Friday 6 November.
Curtain Up! The World of Toy Theatre runs until 9 January 2027, exploring more than 200 years of the form, from Georgian beginnings and Victorian entertainment to stages still used today.
At a glance
| Dates | 6 November 2026–9 January 2027, on museum opening days |
|---|---|
| Venue | Brighton Toy and Model Museum, 52–55 Trafalgar Street, BN1 4EB |
| Standard admission | Adult £10; child aged 5–18 £6; under-fives free |
| Usual hours | Tuesday–Friday 10am–5pm; Saturday 11am–5pm; last admission 4.30pm |
What is a toy theatre?
A toy theatre is a miniature stage with scenery and small figures, often made from printed paper mounted on card. Performers move the characters through the scene and supply the voices and effects. It allows a household to stage a play on a table, rather than simply watch a model of a theatre.
Museum of the Home’s history of the form traces the craze to printed sheets based on London stage productions from 1811. Buyers could colour and assemble the pieces themselves. The appeal included both making the theatre and performing the story, which helps explain its connection with nineteenth-century drama and pantomime.
A different view of the pantomime tradition
The museum’s announcement places miniature theatre at the centre of the exhibition. It offers a companion to the season’s full-size stage productions, focusing on how stories have been presented on a much smaller scale.
The collection behind the exhibition
The Brighton museum’s own collection index records objects including Pollocks Regency Theatre, an Adolf Engel deluxe opera toy theatre and a Mathews Animated Empire Vaudeville Theatre. It also distinguishes toy theatres from puppet theatres and marionettes. These records show the breadth of the museum’s holdings; they are not a confirmed checklist for the new Curtain Up! display.
The current exhibition announcement confirms the historical span and dates but does not yet name individual loans, demonstrations or a curator-led events programme. Live performances and hands-on sessions have not been announced. The exhibition can instead be planned as part of a museum visit, with any additional activity checked against the museum’s dated events calendar.
Planning a museum visit
The museum occupies Victorian spaces beneath Brighton station. It normally closes on Sundays and Mondays; check Christmas and New Year arrangements before choosing a date.
A family ticket covering up to two adults and two children is listed at £20. The museum also publishes concession and local-resident rates. Confirm the appropriate ticket and any exhibition-specific arrangements when booking.
The visitor information says adaptations allow wheelchair access to almost every public area, and an adapted toilet is available. Contact the museum about individual access requirements.
Find the venue
For more local planning information, see our Sussex indoor outings guide.
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