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New address: Multipurpose hall of the TSV Freinsheim at Friedhofstraße 25

When the past comes to life and the fascination for historical toys unites generations, then it's time again: the Bing Museum Festival opens its doors in Freinsheim from November 1 to 3, 2024. Lovers of moving tin toys and cultural history enthusiasts can look forward to the 12th International Bing Players' Meeting, which will take place this year in the multi-purpose hall of TSV Freinsheim at Friedhofstraße 25 and in the adjacent Bing Museum due to construction work.

The Bing Museum, lovingly set up and maintained by Marion and Uwe Groll, is much more than just a museum - it is a living monument to the Jewish company Bing from Nuremberg, which was once considered the largest toy factory in the world. With a unique permanent exhibition that has been continuously expanded over 13 years, the museum celebrates the cultural and historical significance of the Bing factories and invites visitors to immerse themselves in an era when mechanical toys and other playthings stimulated the imagination and filled children's bedrooms.

The upcoming festival promises to be an event of superlatives. On more than 320 square meters, the museum now presents around 2000 exhibits from the time before 1933. From detailed railroads and steam engines to tin toys, dolls, bears and board games - the variety in the museum is almost limitless and reflects the innovative power and creativity of the Bing-Werke.

But this is just the beginning: over 40 exhibitors will be presenting their treasures and themes in the nearby TSV multi-purpose hall at Friedhofstraße 25. All exhibition spaces were already reserved in March. Visitors will be able to talk directly to experts, admire rare pieces and be inspired by the living tradition of toy collecting.

A highlight of the festival will be the historic gauge 1 railroad layout, which will not only impress with its size, but also with the integration of tin buildings and accessories. Children and adults can look forward to interactive demonstrations where they can get hands-on and become part of the magical world of mechanical toys. The Bing table railroad in HO gauge will also be presented again after a long break. In recent years, the steam engine enthusiasts have constantly rediscovered themselves and have repeatedly brought special themes and exhibits from their valuable collections to Freinsheim. Special highlights have been announced again this year.

But it's not just tin: last year, the juxtaposition of Bing and Käthe Kruse dolls was a hit. The competition at the time led to the first major copyright dispute in the German toy industry, which Käthe Kruse rightly won.

The museum festival is a meeting place for collectors, experts and families. Here, memories are awakened and new ones created. Uwe Groll, the curator and keeper of this tradition, invites you: “Experience with us the simplicity and at the same time the ingenuity of the technology upright behind the Bing toys. Immerse yourself in a time when toys were still made with heart and hand.”

In addition to the exhibition, the festival also offers space for expert discussions, tips on care, operation and restoration as well as the opportunity to admire rare models. It is a feast for the senses, where the clacking of the trains, the hissing of the steam engines and the amazement of the visitors play a symphony of the past.

The Bing Museum Festival 2024 is a tribute to toy art and an invitation to all those who are looking for something special. Mark November 1 to 3, 2024 in your calendar and become part of a community that keeps the heritage of the Bing factories alive. We look forward to seeing you!

For more information and admission prices, please visit our homepage. Don't miss the opportunity to be part of this unique cultural event!

Freinsheim awaits you - let's celebrate history together and inspire the future of collecting.

The exciting mediation of German-Jewish cultural and industrial history is an important, socially sustainable contribution. The owner and director of the museum, Marion Groll, relies on the exchange of different generations who discover the museum together. For example, when the steam engine moves and drives something, it exerts an incredible fascination on all visitors. Some grandparents then enthusiastically explain to their grandchildren how the machine works. We opened the toy museum and ice cream parlour in April 2011. This was preceded by the renovation of the old town ensemble, originally consisting of four buildings, which was carried out with a great deal of personal effort and a sure instinct for history. Almost all of the technical equipment is second-hand and was comprehensively checked, repaired and modernised by us for reuse. In the design of the exhibition rooms, upcycling of showcases and lighting is just as important to us as low-energy and low-waste management, as is the use of regional products in the ice cream parlour. For PfalzCard holders, a visit to the Toy Museum is free of charge.
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Choose your desired visit date. Appointments can be ordered 2 weeks in advance via the shop. The number of visitors is currently limited to 15 adults per hour due to hygiene regulations.
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150 years of Gebr. BING, the former largest toy factory in the world. Illustrated with exhibits from the Bing Museum in Freinsheim. 80 pages, 9 euros
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In the catalogs of ... only the train unit in gauge 0 and I with the item number ... is shown, but no complete layout. Bing constructed this layout from proven bridge parts and supports of a level crossing as a basis. The test construction in the museum is currently taking place. Base, decoration and a backdrop made of contemporary cardboard model construction will follow.