Walking through Mint Museum of Toys

Where can you find a recollection in a rare collection?

It's about time someone set up a widely-known antique toy museum in Singapore. Costing millions and taking 3 years to complete building the World's First Purpose Built Museum. You cannot miss it, its outer appearance is shaped as a unmistakable wave with a ramp leading you to the start of the exhibit. The entrance greets you with a colourful and eye-catching lenticular which has the pictures of comics of different types, Chinese, English and even a superhero comics starring Batman, Batgirl, Robin and even Superman, namely of the 1st issue, which is probably a rarity, and is accompanied by Popeye, Mickey Mouse and other cartoon characters. Designed by famous architect, Chan Soo Khian, it is located just opposite the famous Raffles Hotel on a street named, Seah Street.

Once you step into the museum, you would be greeted by the ever-friendly staff from the basement cafe! It is not usual for a cafe to be located in a basement but Mint manages to carry the look. As you walk up the ramp the start of the museum, you would meet ushers there to issue tickets for you to enter and probably give a short personal tour for you if you wish to know more about the history, origin and model of the toys. As you reach the counter, there you would come across a small shop on the left with the silhouette of Betty Boop, Popeye, Astroboy, etc. on the glass above the shop, giving it a attractive appearance, prompting many that they should buy something after finishing the tour of the museum.

As we enter the elevator, we immediately travel to the 5th floor of the museum, which is where the start of the exhibit should start. On the 5th floor, it displays space toys, ranging from Robots to Astronauts to Rockets to Dan Dare to Buck Rogers to Flash Gordan and several famous movie posters, nicely framed and hung on the wall just opposite of the display, examples are the famous George Lucas movies, Star Wars, all original posters and another widely-known space movie known as Forbidden Planet and the display even showcases the robot from the movie with different models. Make sure you look closely to find the slight differences of each model of the toys as they may seem similar when far, so each display requires much attention to look through. On the 5th floor also sits a Barcelona Daybed which allows visitors to relax while browsing thorugh the exhibits.

As we proceed to the 4th floor using the stairs, you can definitely be wowed by all the familiar characters that we love so much such as Popeye, Tintin, Tom and Jerry, Batman and Robin, Superman, Green Hornet, Bruce Lee items, Tetsujin and Ultraman. You can expect to find boxes neatly wrapped like brand new which are considered to be the only toy with the box to exist in the whole world, definitely something worth finding. There are many Tintin figurines which cannot be commonly seen in shops or other places.

After walking down memory lane with all our favourite characters and superheros, we next go down to the 3rd floor to look through the doll section with some familiar and not so familiar faces and HAIR!( example, Shirley Temple) Walking through the exhibit, we can see Mickey Mouse, Snoopy, EDI dolls, Door-Of-Hope Dolls, a large 'I Love Lucy doll', Michael Lee dolls, Ferdinand the Bull and not forgetting the ever-famous Betty Boop!! This floor even showcases the Musical Bonzo, the only piece to exist in the whole world. Posters of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is also nicely framed on the wall. This has to be one of my favourite floors of the museum. However, the level is not complete without the glass floor further in the room, whereby you can stand on or if you prefer to be safe or wearing a skirt, just look down to observe the ground floor of the museum.

Next is the 2nd floor of the toy museum, which showcases collectables from all over the world such as Germany, India, Japan,Korea, USA, England, Hong Kong, France, Uruguay, Bulgaria and even Singapore and some made in Hollywood!! It displays many tintoys which are considered to be extremely expensive now, over a few US thousands. Most of them are mainly vehicles or ships which were kept in pristine and MINT condition. Make sure you look out for the Singapore label on the suitcases with a porter carrying it. This floor also shows the Beatles, Monkees, a peacock that was featured in the movie 'toys' and a recently added, horse cart( its a giant display!!)

Coming to the end of my trip through the exhibits, there was an urge to get something from the museum, namely from the shop, selling snowy from tintin plush toys and tintin figurines, tintin pencilcases, tintin keychains, tintin plates and egg cups, tintin shirts, with a variety and tintin postcards, with Winnie the Pooh sweet tins. Guaranteed to be satisfied with choices from the shop. But not quite yet!! Remember to travel down to the basement cafe to sit and relax after an exciting and long journey through the museum. The cafe can also be considered a restaurant and bar just to sit back and relax. The menu has a variety of pasta, sandwiches, salad, appetizers and cakes and etc. With generous portions, have a taste of the crab meat linguine or the beer-battered fish and chips or the oriental wrap with desserts such as tiramisu. When at the cafe, check out the cool wine bar with lights changing randomly to give the place a very classy look, it also has many designer chairs which give the comfort of home, definitely sure to feel right at home. Service is great too, you would be treated with comfort. Really friendly too, you would not have trouble getting use to the place. With mirrors adorning the wall and many original movie posters give us a sense of cosiness. If you wish to enjoy the breeze or watch passer-bys, tables can be arranged just for you to suit your mood.

Definitely the place of the year to visit, as each floor of the museum gives a write-up of the toys being displayed there, with neatly wrapped boxes to accompany the antique toy which still looks new and sometimes be even mistakened to be new toys! However, a great place to go to, guaranteed to be greeted with smiles and friendliness, you would not be disappointed after going through Mint Museum of Toys, the number One destination to go with friends or families. Admission fee is $10 for adults and $5 for kids below ages 12. Do not worry, your visit would be worth the money!!

Will be posting pictures from the trip through the museum later on...

Prepare to launch on a journey of rediscovery!!