Toy museum of Catalonia

The Toy Museum of Catalonia (Museu del Joguet de Catalunya) sits in Figueres, a Catalan town best known for the Dalí Theatre-Museum, yet holds one of the region's most unexpected collections. Housed in the former Hotel París building on the town's main street, it takes visitors through more than a century of toy-making, mixing everyday childhood objects with keepsakes once owned by famous Catalans.

Where does the collection come from?

The museum opened its doors on 18 June 1982, built entirely on the private passion of Josep Maria Joan Rosa and Pilar Casademont Sadurní. The couple spent more than twenty-two years assembling toys and games before opening the collection to the public. Today it holds over 17,000 pieces, of which around 4,000 are on permanent display.

What is on show?

The backbone of the collection is industrial toys — dolls, vehicles, board games and figurines — manufactured from the late 19th century through to the present day. What sets the museum apart, though, is a set of items once owned by well-known figures of Catalan culture. Exhibits include a teddy bear that belonged to Salvador Dalí, a whistle-shaped figurine owned by Joan Miró, and a cardboard pull-along goose that once belonged to poet Joan Brossa. Other pieces in the collection were donated by figures such as Quim Monzó, Ernest Lluch, Salvador Puig Antich and Terenci Moix.

A dedicated section covers Salvador Dalí's first twenty years, displaying his childhood toys alongside moving postcards and photographs from his family album — a fitting complement for anyone who has already visited the Dalí Theatre-Museum elsewhere in town.

How do you get there?

The museum sits in the heart of Figueres, on one of its main streets, an easy walk from both the train station and the Dalí Theatre-Museum. Figueres itself is in the Empordà region, roughly 40 minutes by train or car from Girona and under an hour from the French border.

When should you visit?

The museum works well as part of a full day exploring Figueres — mornings or early afternoons tend to be quieter, leaving the rest of the day free for the town's other sights, including the Dalí museum. The collection appeals equally to families travelling with children and to adults interested in cultural history and industrial design.

Who is it for?

The Toy Museum of Catalonia is a natural stop for anyone drawn to nostalgia and the history of everyday objects, and it offers a refreshing change of pace from Figueres' surrealist art scene. The mix of mass-produced toys with personal mementos of famous Catalans gives the collection a distinctly local character.

Frequently asked questions

How many objects can you see in the museum? Around 4,000 pieces are on permanent display, drawn from a collection of more than 17,000 toys and games.

Whose toys are part of the collection? The exhibits include items once owned by Salvador Dalí, Joan Miró and Joan Brossa, along with other notable Catalan figures such as Quim Monzó and Ernest Lluch.

When was the museum founded? It opened on 18 June 1982, in the building of the former Hotel París in central Figueres.

Is it worth combining with the Dalí Theatre-Museum? Yes — a dedicated section on Dalí's childhood, featuring his toys, postcards and family photos, pairs naturally with a visit to the artist's theatre-museum in the same town.