An Image of Childhood

Year: 1905
Material: Painted wood
Creator: Unknown
Collection: Stuga collection

The Stuga (farmhouse) Room in the American Swedish Historical Museum does an excellent job at contextualizing all of its objects. But while the size of the giant loom and grandfather clock make them highlights of the room, this little "Dala horse" can get lost in the crowd. This is unfortunate, because it must be of particular interest to children, artists, and anyone who feels nostalgia for their childhood.

The label explains that Dala horses were popular 19th century toys in Sweden. Carved from wood, they were often created during the long, snowy winters. Clockmakers were especially known for their Dala horse designs, and their journeys across the country helped spread the trend.

While its placement in the Stuga adds detail to the overall exhibit, it may be interesting to display the Dala horse with other Swedish toys and children's clothing of the time. Not only would this particular object stand out more, but the museum may benefit from an exhibit that relates specifically to children. Using history and sociology to discuss the role of both Swedish and Swedish-American children could flesh out the content.

To make this hypothetical exhibit more immersive, the curator could add an account of a clockmaker who made Dala horses, or of a child who played with one. This would further enforce the idea that this object, behind glass today, was once lovingly played with.