Between 1850 and 1950 the development of ships underwent a massive change as steel and steam replaced wood and sail. This ignited the imaginations of children and toy makers and was met by an equivalent ‘Golden Age’ in the development of toy boats.

Borrowing extensively from the collection of the Musée national de la Marine in Paris and some of Britain’s foremost collectors, 'Toy Boats' contains over 100 colourful and imaginative toys which recall the grand liners, submarines and battleships that defined and defended the nation.

This exhibition has been developed in collaboration with the Musée national de la Marine, Paris.