Pollock's Toy Museum

About the museum

Pollock’s Toy Museum grew out of the toy theatre business of Benjamin Pollock. In 1951 Marguerite Fawdry bought the stock of the almost bankrupt firm, and in 1955 she opened a shop and museum at 44 Monmouth Street in Covent Garden. The museum dates its own founding to 1956. The toyshop in Covent Garden that still carries Benjamin Pollock’s name began as an offshoot of the museum but has been an independent business since 1988 and is not part of the museum.

In 1969 it moved to 1 Scala Street in Fitzrovia and later took over the neighbouring building on Whitfield Street. For more than fifty years the brightly painted Scala Street house was the museum’s home. In 2020 Marguerite’s great-grandson and his partner took over its running.

The Scala Street site closed in January 2023 after a change in the ownership of the buildings left the museum without a lease. Since March 2023 part of the collection has been shown in a volunteer-run unit in the Whitgift Centre in Croydon, which opened during Croydon’s year as London Borough of Culture. A second small unit at Leadenhall Market has operated since November 2023. Many items remain in storage while the trustees look for a permanent home.

Highlights

• Toy theatres, including those from the Pollock printing tradition
• Dolls’ houses and model shops
• Board games, marbles and puppets
• Changing displays from the collection
• Museum shop with toy theatres, cards and traditional toys

Founded

1956

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Admission is free at both sites. Purchases in the shops support the care of the collection.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The Croydon unit has level access. At Leadenhall Market there is a small step at the external door.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

The museum runs family events, performances and workshops, which are listed on its events page.

Getting there & parking

The Croydon unit is inside the Whitgift Centre shopping centre.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Both sites have a shop. It sells the museum’s own products, mainly cut-out cardboard toy theatres in book form, alongside cards and traditional toys and games bought in from suppliers. An online shop is run at www.toymuseumtrading.com.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit