Mission and goals of the exhibition

By definition, the Permanent Exhibition of Myrina depicts aspects of the enchanting ‘nucleus’ of childhood, where games and toys are the dominating factor, closely followed by children’s readings (particularly literature), both of which contribute – each in its own way – to the gradual socialisation of children, to exercising their imagination, the development of their skills and, generally speaking, their introduction into the world of adults.

Two basic principles govern the concept of the Exhibition: On the one hand, to avoid degrading the wondrous world of toys, in particular, into lifeless museum exhibits, and, on the other, to render the primal dimension of toys and games, in their broadest sense, steadily felt as a driving force for the creation and invigoration of culture. Our goals are mostly based on these principles.

The first, clear goal of the Exhibition is to take visitors on a journey through time to the magic of childhood and everything it represents at the actual and symbolic level. Of course, the main focus, in this case, rests on children – but adults also have a right to join in this journey, as, over time, they nostalgically return to their early years with increasing frequency. As the poet Kostas Ouranis wrote, “happy is he […] who was never cured of his childhood, but can cross from reality to dream without feeling the borders separating the two”.

The intense set-piece character that permeates the presentation of the exhibits brings enchanting narratives to life before the eyes of children and adults. At the same time, though, these narratives have been prepared in such a way so as to incorporate and communicate knowledge, underlining the timeless importance of toys and children’s literature, both of which are eloquent indicators of social values, historical events and conditions, educational principles and technological developments from era to era.

The accompanying explanatory texts and relevant photographic, video and electronic material enrich the knowledge experience of this journey through time.

The second basic goal is, essentially, in line with the fixed position of modern museological ethics, which dictates that museums should function as multivalent ‘shells’ of culture where communicative and educational events take place, with visitors not being merely passive receivers, but active members in a participatory process. This holds particularly true for children, particularly when the exhibition ‘event’ focuses primarily on their own, emotionally charged world.

Thus, the principal concern of the Exhibition of Myrina is the coordinated organisation of educational, interactive programmes focusing, for example, on individual toys or books, or characteristic thematic sections. Such events, in which schools situated on Lemnos will primarily participate, further enhance the Exhibition’s characterisation as a living cultural cell in the context of the closed local community. The large courtyards of the Exhibition are ideal, in this case, for the development of various activities for children. Through the inclusion of adults (parents, grandparents) in the interactive programmes either with the reconstruction of games from their childhood or with the exposition of their own personal memories of play and the concentration of relevant photographs, visitors of all ages can be mobilised in a fertile and creative manner, resulting in strengthening the ties between them.

In the context of the Exhibition as a living cultural cell and in order to expand its activities and prestige beyond the island of Lemnos, another goal set is the organisation of lectures, colloquiums and conferences on toys, games, books and the world of children in general, accompanied, to the extent possible, by pertinent publications.

Finally, the organisation of periodic exhibitions is an unavoidable necessity and an element of flexibility, as only a small, representative sample of the large number of toys and children’s books is exhibited in the display cases, due to limitations of space. Such exhibitions will have a thematic character and will allow for exhibiting the classified material in storage over time, thus renewing visitors’ interest. Similarly, periodic exhibitions could host, for example, works by children inspired by the exhibits or created during educational programmes, as well as the traditional games of Lemnos.