Toys of the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s | Virginia Museum of History & Culture

An image of Mr. Potato Head pins on a carrot, a toy robot, and a toy Troll doll with pink hair around the words "Toys of the '50s, '60s, and '70s"

About the Exhibition: Gumby. Barbie. Slinky. Mr. Potato Head. Wham-O. Spirograph. Hot Wheels. The names of popular toys from the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s capture the craziness, the joy, the sheer fun of being a kid. But beneath those nutty names are rich veins of nostalgia, memory, and history. The stories of the kids who played with these toys, the adults who bought them, the child-rearing experts who judged them, and the people who invented them reflect the rhythms of American life. Through this exhibition, visitors experienced the toys and their stories through three imagined living rooms that brought the decades back to life. This exhibition was produced by the Minnesota History Center.

Exhibition Videos

Take a closer look at the Toys exhibition with these staff highlights, games, and more!

As a result of the overwhelmingly positive public response to the 2017 special exhibition, Toys of the '50s, '60s and '70s, the VMHC (then VHS) extended the exhibition's run and commissioned Allen Jessee—a Richmond native, sculptor, and founder of MCS Design and Production Inc.—to produce an enormous one-of-a-kind Gumby to mark the occasion. The giant Gumby measured 18 feet tall and weighed approximately 300 pounds. Installation on the front steps of the museum took place on May 15, 2017. [Music: "Funky Chunk," Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0]

Enjoy this promo video of the exhibition.

Take a tour through the "Toys of the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s" exhibition with the VMHC's Andrew Talkov as he shares some of his favorite items.

Watch Chewbacca, Mr. Potato Head, Gumby, and Pokey compete in the Toys of the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s Olympics.

The VMHC (formerly the VHS) is the perfect place to have a date. Watch how Barbie and Ken find their perfect match in the "Toys of the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s" exhibition

Enjoy this highlight reel from the Toys of the '50s, '60s and '70s exhibition Fun Run at the VMHC (then VHS), featuring Mr. Potato Head, Chewbacca, Gumby, and Pokey. Special thanks to the Richmond Police Department Mounted Unit and Sports Backers.

Related News Features:

8 News: “Childhood memories come back to life at Virginia Historical Society's toy exhibit ”
Richmond Family Magazine: “Toys of the 50s, 60s, and 70s” is a Pure Delight for All Ages at VHS ”
Radio IQ: “New Exhibit Explores Toys of the 1950s, 60s and 70s ”
The Free Lance Star: “Virginia Historical Society shares the story of toys in new exhibit"
Richmond Times-Dispatch: "A museum exhibit all about toys opens Friday in Richmond ”
CBS 6: “America's Iconic Toys All Under One Roof”

Explore the Exhibition

Through an exhibition design that recreated living rooms of each decade, visitors could immerse themselves in the environments of pop culture in America in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s.

1950s living room

The 1950s living room examined how the postwar economic boom affected families and toy sales.

Gumby and Pokey

Gumby originated as a clay animation character created by Art Clokey.

Mr. Potato Head

In 1952, Mr. Potato Head became the first toy to be advertised on television. The kit became an immediate hit, with more than 1,000,000 sold in the first year.