New York City: Century of the Child

Series of personifications of childhood misdeeds, 1930

This new exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City looks like lots of fun: Century of the Child surveys the period from the turn of the last century, when the concept of childhood as a special time apart from the world of adults really took hold. The exhibit takes inspiration from Swedish "design reformer and social theorist" Ellen Key's 1900 book Century of the Child.

Lego building bricks, 1954-58

One of Them Had Polio, Skilled Teamwork Brought Recovery, 1949-50

Crosby Chair, 1998

The book "...presaged the 20th century as a period of intensified focus and progressive thinking regarding the rights, development, and well-being of children as interests of utmost importance to all society." The exhibit features historical toys, games, furniture, posters, and other fascinating artifacts.

Child's Wheelbarrow, 1923

Optical Color-Mixer, 1924

War is Not Healthy for Children and Other Living Things, 

by Lorraine Schneider, 1966

My son was particularly taken with a photograph of a set of over-sized furniture, made so that adults can experience what it's like to be small.

"Maxi" set including Tripp Trapp chair, by Peter Opsvik

The show includes special art programs for families; see the calendar for details and dates. You can also explore the exhibit online here.