Some of the pieces preserved at the Museum are of great value, either due to their rarity, because they were independently produced by families, or because they illustrate the connection between childhood artifacts and the culture of a particular period. We are certain that the scale model of a roller coaster and the puppet theater will amaze visitors!
Using the Meccano technique, typographer Antonio Prècoma created a roller coaster model between 1925 and 1930 using bicycle components such as spokes, chains, and lights. The model is crafted from metal, iron, wood, and fabric and was designed for playful purposes, much like the handcrafted wooden theater created by artisan Enrico Prosdocimi in the early 20th century. The theater, which could be dismantled and stored within a wooden stage chest, includes a stage chest, four backdrops, fifteen wing curtains, two additional wing curtains, three proscenium curtains, a scenic arch—all oil-painted—and 27 wooden and fabric puppets. These two masterpieces of craftsmanship reflect the growing attention given to childhood in the 20th century. It was during this period that what the French historian Philippe Ariès called the “new sentiment of childhood” emerged within families. Children, now more cared for and cherished, were encouraged to internalize values such as obedience, social conformity, respect for rules, and adherence to formal structures. This shift was influenced by the ideas of Jean-Jacques Rousseau and the pedagogical romanticism of the time. However, this evolving view of childhood primarily applied to middle- and upper-class families, who could afford luxuries such as a puppet theater. In contrast, children from working-class or rural backgrounds often experienced a “short” childhood, as they were quickly pushed toward labor. The roller coaster, however, was likely accessible to all children in the city of Padua, offering a rare moment of shared play across social classes.