Kindergartenmuseum Nordrhein-Westfalen

Description

In Bergisch Gladbach the Kindergartenmuseum Nordrhein-Westfalen places the history of early childhood care at its centre. The museum is located on the Quirlsberg in the town centre and is, to date, North Rhine-Westphalia's only specialised institution devoted to this subject.

The museum is run by a non-profit association founded in 1994; the museum has been in existence since 2004. Ongoing operations are financed primarily by donations, membership fees and voluntary engagement. Since 2007 the institution has also received support from a foundation operating under the umbrella of the NRW-Stiftung.

The permanent exhibition traces the development of kindergarten and crèche from their beginnings to the present. Across seven exhibition rooms original furnishings, historic toys and children's books are displayed, and the training of early childhood educators as well as the contributions of significant pedagogical movements are examined. Rotating special exhibitions focus on thematic topics; examples are „100 Jahre Montessoripädagogik“, „Krippen von und für Kinder gebastelt“ and „Puppenstuben und Puppenhäuser“. The programme is supplemented by hands-on public activities such as storytime sessions and craft workshops, as well as guided tours for individual visitors and groups.