Story Time
25 January - 31 December 2025
Abbey House Museum
Included in admission
Are you sitting comfortably? Uncover a love of reading in this family-friendly exhibition. A playful look at children’s story telling and imagination, featuring younger children’s books, songs and games from the museum collections.
Find out how children learned their ABCs in the past and how books for young readers have changed over the years, from getting across a strong moral message to creating a fun story.
A collection of children's books and reading primers from the early 1800s is on display, believed to be among some of the earliest books to ever be published specifically for children.
Books of classic bedtime stories and fairytales from the 1920s and 1930s also feature, and include timeless characters such as Red Riding Hood, Mother Goose and Cinderella.
Vintage games and jigsaws made by Leeds firm Waddingtons are on display, including some of the original artwork for the firm’s iconic circular jigsaws from the 1960s, which were rescued from a bin by a former company employee.
Beautiful Victorian dolls houses are also displayed alongside modern classic toys based on characters and TV shows like Pinky and Perky, Stingray, Bugs Bunny, She-Ra, The Wombles, The Shoe People and The Moomins.
Visitors of all ages will be able to spot stories they recognise from their childhood. The exhibition also includes an interactive game for families - can you spot the rhyming pairs of objects in each display case?
Subject to opening hours