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Childhood & Youth Collection
Image: Knucklebones (1950s)
Source: Museum Victoria
Childhood is common to all humans, but with all the individuality that this brings. The Childhood and Youth Collection contains objects made by children, which reflect their world views, and collections about children and childhood. It also encompasses photographs, documents and audiovisual material, as well as recording material culture and intangibles such as play lore, experiences and ideas.
The collection was begun in the 1980s, and in 2009 comprised around 2237 objects, including games, dolls, toys, school material, clothing and costumes, domestic items, and information on child-related organisations and issues.
A significant component of the collection is the Australian Children's Folklore Collection (ACFC), acquired in 1999. This comprises over 10,000 card files listing children's games, rhymes, riddles, jokes and superstitions, from the 1940s to the present. The collection contains 500 photographs; extensive video and audio collection; over 300 play artefacts; research files and fieldwork files.
The ACFC was placed on the UNESCO Australian Memory of the World Register in 2004, which recognises collections of long-term and wide-ranging international significance.
Other significant items:
- The Le Forgeron Marionette Theatre collection - a rare surviving example of the travelling marionette/puppet troupes that regularly toured throughout Australia until the 1960s.
- Sterne Doll Company Collection, including Gerry Gee puppet and paraphernalia, and doll-making materials and equipment.
- The Panaroos Playthings Doll and Toy Museum Collection, featuring items made by Australian companies during the 1930s-1950s.
Items per page: 10 50 (showing 2561 - 2570) 2591 items
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Negative - by Lilian L. Pitts, Merrigum, Victoria, circa 1910
An adult male and two children stand around a young fruit tree. A long row of young trees extends into the distance.
From: Merrigum, Australia Images: 1 -
Negative - by Lilian L. Pitts, Merrigum, Victoria, 1920-1930
Group portrait of nine children.
From: Merrigum, Australia Images: 1 -
Negative - by Lilian L. Pitts, Merrigum, Victoria, circa 1910s
Portrait of a young girl sitting by a tub of flowers.
From: Merrigum, Australia Images: 1 -
Negative - by Lilian L. Pitts, Merrigum, Victoria, circa 1910s
Portrait of two young boys sitting on a table holding fruit.
From: Merrigum, Australia Images: 1 -
Negative - by Lilian L. Pitts, Victoria, circa 1910s
Portrait of a group of five children playing in a clump of tall grass or cane. A hammock hangs in the background.
Images: 1 -
Negative - by Lilian L. Pitts, Victoria, circa 1910s
Portrait of a young girl wearing a large bow in her hair. She is looking down on a baby laying on a 'table'.
Images: 1 -
Negative - by Lilian L. Pitts, Victoria, circa 1910s
Group of students standing and sitting on rocks in a shallow river bed.
Images: 1 -
Negative - by Lilian L. Pitts, Merrigum, Victoria, circa 1910s
Portrait of a young girl sitting on a dining chair. There are some small objects on the chair beside her.
From: Merrigum, Australia Images: 1 -
Negative - by Lilian L. Pitts, Merrigum, Victoria, 1910-1920
Young girl Dorothy playing with her baby sister who is laying on a table.
From: Merrigum, Australia Images: 1
