The Story of Children’s Television from 1946 to Today
- Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry, from Friday 22 May to Sunday 13 September 2015
- Portsmouth City Museum, from Saturday 17 October 2015 to Sunday 28 February 2016
- The Dorman Museum, Middlesbrough, from Saturday 19 March to Sunday 12 June 2016
- M Shed, Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archives, from Saturday 2 July to Sunday 25 September 2016
- Derby Museum and Art Gallery, from Saturday 15 October 2016 to Sunday 29 January 2017
From the earliest days of Muffin The Mule and Watch With Mother to the multi-channel world of today, generations of children have fallen in love with the characters and stories brought to life on the small screen.
The exhibition traces the fascinating history of children’s television, bringing together seven decades of iconic objects, memorabilia, merchandise, clips and images. From puppetry to CGI and live shows to dramas and fantasy, the exhibition looks at how the magical programmes of our childhood have created memories and nostalgia in adults and children alike.
Packed full of interactives for big kids and small, the exhibition also showcases original props and characters, from Mummy Woodentop to The Wombles, Morph, Gordon the Gopher, Rastamouse and the singing veggies from Mr Bloom’s Nursery.
The Story of Children’s Television is the story of all of our childhoods, and how television helped to shape the way we view the world around us. Join us for a wander down memory lane, to a celebration of children’s television, past and present.
The exhibition has been created by the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry in partnership with The University of Warwick Department of Film and Television Studies. It is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, BBC, Ragdoll Productions, ITV, Kaleidoscope and the Children’s Media Foundation.
After it finishes its run in Coventry, the exhibition will move to Portsmouth before touring other museums around the country over the next two years.
Media coverage
- Herbert Art Gallery & Museum: The Story of Children’s Television from 1946 to Today
- Coventry Telegraph: Sneak peek: Look around children’s TV exhibition at Herbert Art Gallery before Friday’s opening
- Coventry Telegraph: ‘I’m in heaven!’ and other reactions as Coventry enjoys launch of children’s TV exhibition at the Herbert
- BBC Midlands Today: Video: Childhood television exhibition opens in Coventry
- BBC Breakfast: Video: Coventry exhibition explores 70 years of children’s TV
- BBC News: ‘Unprecedented’ crowds at Coventry children’s TV exhibition