IT'S MASAK-MASAK* TIME!

What's your impression of a museum? I'm sure most of you would associate anything antiquated with the word. But a trip to Museum of Shanghai Toys (MoST) might change your perception and even transport you back to your childhood.

A check on the street directory told this writer that Rowell Road is among the small lanes in the Little India area. So what is the Museum of SHANGHAI Toys doing in Little India?

Housed in a three-storey shophouse, MoST seems almost out of place in a lane with several eateries (the fragrant aroma of freshly made naan, goreng pisang and wan tan mee filled the air) and backpacker hotels.

Newspapers and magazines cuttings of reports on the place greeted the PIONEER team outside the museum.

Enter and dispel your doubts

To be honest, this writer was initially quite disappointed with what he saw on the first floor. It was a retail section, with replicas of some of the toys that can be found in the exhibit area.

The replica toys made up a small portion of the retail section, with almost 75 per cent of the space dedicated to selling toys that seemed vaguely similar to those that could be found in any departmental store.

But any disappointment and doubts were soon dispelled after I climbed up the steep staircase to the second floor.

It was pure toy heaven as glass cupboards of toys - from dolls to robots - lined the sides of the exhibit area.

Each of the tin model cars, aeroplanes and tanks told a different story of its own and feelings of nostalgia would definitely overcome any visitor.

A toy connoisseur

Started in 2005 by Mr Marvin Chan (left), MoST is reputed to be the first museum in the world with an entire collection of toys made in Shanghai.

These toys were mostly made between the 1910s and 1970s, a period when most of the China-made toys were from Shanghai.

Mr Chan, a Singapore Permanent Resident, hatched this idea of a toy museum after a visit to a Kota Tinggi toy shop, where he bought a few tin toys similar to those he played with during his childhood.

"During the end of the 1980s, retro stuff was popular among designers, and toys were just one of the many things that we liked," said the 42-year-old.

"When I had plans to start the museum, all I wanted was to put toys in a very large house."

Haven't I seen them before?

Mr Michael Chew and his wife, Florence, visited MoST after watching a television programme.
Incidentally, when they were at MoST, there was a Singaporean Childhood exhibition held in conjunction with the 'Museums Alive!' campaign, which featured vintage toys made in Singapore, China, Taiwan, Korea and Japan.

The campaign came to a close on 27 May but the exhibits will only be taken down from MoST at the end of June.

"I think I own some of these toys!" claimed Mrs Chew, jokingly. "The water guns, piggy banks and the mini pinball machines all look so familiar!"

Mr Chew added: "To be honest, I was born in 1967 but I didn't even know the toys that I had were made in Shanghai."

A clear indication that the couple enjoyed themselves in MoST was when Mrs Chew bought herself a carousel set before she left the premises.

She said: "I saw it and I knew I had to get it!"

After a tour of the museum, this writer was convinced MoST is the fruit of the labours of one man who is truly, madly, deeply in love with toys.

Mr Chan said it best: "MoST was supposed to be part of my retirement plans but this is really a dream that has arrived 20 years earlier!"

MoST amazing facts

Most Expensive: Batmobile
Pow! Wow! Kapow! For those who watched the old live-action Batman TV series, you would have remembered these words lighting up the screen every time Batman and Robin took on the bad guys. Yes, Mr Chan owns the toy version of the Batmobile that was in the 1960s series. The cost of the toy is hush-hush but it is estimated to be worth "a four-figure sum".

Oldest: Door of Hope dolls

These yellowed dolls are among the oldest toys in MoST. They have a rich history dating back to the 1900s. Door of Hope was a Christian mission started in Shanghai, where the missionaries taught the poor and illiterate women life skills so that they could earn their keep. These dolls were made and sold by them and the sales would go on to fund and educate more women.

Comics also have!

Apart from the extensive collection of toys made in Shanghai, Mr Chan also has an amazing collection of comic books. Amongst his collection: the 1950s Marvel comics series from the United States and the hugely popular San Mao comic book, which was among the first from China with a child as its main protagonist.

DIY - Do it yourself

While the toys are acquired and amassed by Mr Chan, he tries to do everything on his own. He said, jokingly: "I'm the director, the curator and even the cleaner!" In fact, the former graphic designer even designed the 12 stamps that are 'chopped' in the children's passport. Children visiting MoST are given a passport, and after collecting 12 stamps that are found around the museum, can redeem a small toy.