The Museum of Toys and Automata (in

Catalan language Catalan (; autonym: , ), known in the Valencian Community and Carche as ''Valencian'' (autonym: ), is a Western Romance language. It is the official language of Andorra, and an official language of three autonomous communities in eastern ...

''Museu de Joguets i Autòmats'') was a museum of

toy A toy or plaything is an object that is used primarily to provide entertainment. Simple examples include toy blocks, board games, and dolls. Toys are often designed for use by children, although many are designed specifically for adults and pet ...

s and

automata An automaton (; plural: automata or automatons) is a relatively self-operating machine, or control mechanism designed to automatically follow a sequence of operations, or respond to predetermined instructions.Automaton – Definition and More ...

located in

Verdú Verdú is a village and municipality in the province of Lleida, in Catalonia, Spain. It is traditionally associated with the Segarra region, but in 1936 was transferred to the ''comarca'' of Urgell. The municipality covers 36 km2. The lands ...

, in central Catalonia, Spain. It opened in 2004, and in 2013 it closed and the building was converted to an art gallery. The museum was founded by local man Manel Mayoral, who had built up an extensive collection of antique toys and novelties. It was housed at an old house known as "Cal Jan" in Verdú's main square, over three floors and more than 2000 square meters, half of that in a modern extension. Cal Jan was built in the 15th century, as were all the other buildings on the same street, and became an important house of Verdú. The lintels of the first floor balconies are an example of early 17th century architecture. In fact, there is an inscription on the façade dating from 1695, which is the year the house was reconstructed. In 1999, the building's conversion to a museum was started, and it was extended and extensively remodelled.

References

{{commons category, Museu de Joguets i Autòmats Museums established in 2004 Toy museums in Catalonia Children's museums in Spain Museum of Toys and Automata Amusement museums