 | 11.27.2010 - Last year during my first trip to Singapore I didn't commute from Bencoleen Hotel, where I stayed. I usually walk all to the Suntec International Convention Centre, which is the current venue of this year's Singapore, Toys, Games, and Comic Convention. Mint stands for Moment of Imagination and Nostalgia with Toys. At first the word "MINT" didn't mean anything, but when I looked back it does make sense how awesome this place can be the world's first purpose-built museum for toys. |
MINT Toy Museum is a little place that takes you back in time when the toys were simple and has become a novelty compared to the more sophisticated action figures or die-cast cars out there. It was definitely worth visiting if you're new to the culture of Singapore. This first trip last year, was a side trip of discovery thanks to a contact and some local media I befriended, who were covering STGCC at that time. I'm practically a novice again when it comes to traveling since this was going at it alone, and this little visit to a tiny place that has so many things as far back as 1840 was very much worth it.
I've heard about the MINT Toy Museum previously from a friend, but was unaware of its current location until I took a different route going to Suntec on foot. There, along the Seah Street near Raffles Hotel the museum was located.
During the time I was doing coverage for STGCC 2009, I would take a side trip to visit some places in Singapore, since this was my first time to travel to this wonderful country.
Though I never had the grandest time touring this magnificent due the limited time that I have spent mostly at the Suntec Internation Convention Center. A friend who used to be based there had a hectic schedule to tour me to these places I had on my list. Evidently, we mostly hang out at STGCC up until my last day. The only place I was going back and forth from Suntec to my hotel is passing through Seah Street.
Due to the short time to look around further that was personally an overwhelming experience going to Singapore. The only side trip aside from doing coverage for STGCC is visiting the Mint Toy Museum. There was one promo in the STGCC 2009, that I only paid the entrance for half the price because it was included as one of the coupons on the event program.
When the opportunity came for me to visit the museum, I went there early in the day prior to going to my second day covering STGCC. On the ground floor, you'd be quite ecstatic being a toy collector seeing the vintage sample displays they had. But before you do venture to all of the levels you have been given a warning about flash photography as it is not allowed. This was due to the light sensitivity of the older toys, and for the reason why the displays are dimly lit.
This was on a regular day when I went and it was indeed a surreal experience seeing exquisitely displayed a world-class collection of over 50,000 pieces of vintage toys and childhood memorabilia dating back from the mid-19th century to mid-twentieth century and thematically exhibited over four levels and namely Outerspace (Level 5); Characters (Level 4); Childhood Favourites (Level 3) and Collectibles (Level 2). They have a lift that will take you to Level 5, where there's a phrase "Whoever has the most toys when he dies wins." on the wall.
No visit is complete without shopping at the Mint Shop located at Level 1. From exclusive Mint souvenirs, and vintage toys, to nostalgic memorabilia, there's something for everyone you might take home.
They also have an in-house Mint Cafe located in the basement (Level), where I had my lunch before proceeding back to STGCC 2009.
The Mint Toy Museum is not just a museum of toys, but also a place of art with unique graffiti of toy art painted on the wall. It's a great place to appreciate one collection that you'll never see anywhere. It was awesome to be there and hoping someday I might drop by and see it again.
For more about the MINT Toy Museum, LIKE their Facebook or visit the site at: EMINT.com
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