Economic prosperity was at an all-time high and the influx of television helped propel a new middle-class into a consumer-driven society.
Additionally, a soaring birthrate made the country a child-focused culture. These children, however, grew up in a time of great dramatic change and parents were caught between a familiar past and a complex future. Toys would help children find their correct place in society, or so parents wanted to believe. These toys reflected the energy, ambition, and abundance of a prosperous era, but they also channeled the uncertainties of the period.
The artifacts in Toy Boom are curated into unique environments, including TV westerns, space age, zany toys, creative toys, dolls, action figures, and more.
We created this exhibit to help North Carolinians reflect on their paths from childhood to adulthood, including the toys that paved the way.
– Katie Edwards, curator of popular culture at the North Carolina Museum of History
