Featured Galleries: Wood Dolls

Wood and plant matter is perhaps the oldest and most traditional material for doll construction. Wooden dolls date back to prehistoric times, and have been produced by almost every culture around the world. However, while the material is cheap, durable, and permits great artistry and design, producing fine wooden dolls requires skillful carving which is both difficult and time consuming. As a result few toy factories ever produced fine wooden dolls commercially. Many of the finest wooden dolls are those that were homemade by craftspeople for their own children or as pieces of art. The Museum's collection boosts fine examples of both homemade and commercial wooden dolls.