The holidays season fun continues with “From Marbles to Make-Believe: Let’s Play!” through Jan. 31, 2023, Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts, Bethlehem, with more than 400 historic and vintage toys and games commemorating childhood.

From Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites collections and local collectors are toy vehicles, stuffed animals, dolls, action figures, sports memorabilia and games.

“We are really focusing on the major ways that play’s changed, not only in terms of look and feel, but in terms of material,” says Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts Curator of Collections & Exhibitions Brett Peters.

Alphabet blocks and other wooden toys, celluloid toys, cast-iron vehicles and figures, tin playthings, an original metal Erector Set, vintage metal Tonka trucks and metal and plastic Lionel trains are on view.

A “Trendy Toys” section highlights iconic playthings of the 20th century, including a 1902 Steiff Teddy Bear, 1969 Astronaut Snoopy, 1961 Barbie doll and case, 2000 Millennial Barbie, and 1990s Furby.

A circa 1943 Monopoly game is in the “Parlor Games” room. “All of the stuff that would have been popularly played during rainy days,” says Peters, noting Uno, Scrabble, Trivial Pursuit and other indoor card and board games.

Video games, including Nintendo, are part of the “Level Up Play” section.

Action figures and table-top games like Dungeons & Dragons are featured in the “Play in Far Away Places” display.

The dark side of play is explored with “Perilous Playtime.” The exhibit of dangerous toys includes lead toy soldiers, an innocent-looking Snacktime Cabbage Patch Doll with working mechanical jaws that were prone to biting the little fingers feeding it, and a pair of Moon Shoes, marketed by Nickelodeon, that were notorious for breaking bones.

Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts Coordinator of Museum Collections and Public Programs Charlotte Filiciotto is credited with acquiring a hazardous Austin Magic Pistol for the collection. The circa 1940s toy gun was known for shooting flaming ping pong balls at its target. “It used calcium carbide. When it interacted with water, that’s what created the explosion,” says Filiciotto.

A rotating display of in-season sports-related artifacts is also on display, starting with baseball equipment and uniforms.

Visitors can take the trip down memory lane with a docent or follow a virtual exhibit guide.

A collection of play-related art by members of the Lehigh Art Alliance is on view and available for purchase.

A companion exhibit at the Moravian Museum of Bethlehem, 66 W. Church St., Bethlehem, features “Play Back When,” which explores the views about play and recreation of Bethlehem’s Moravian settlers with a collection of Polly Heckewelder dolls, dice games and wooden toys.

Playtime-related, hands-on, children-friendly activities can be found in the museums.

The Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts Gallery, 427 N. New St., Bethlehem. Moravian Museum, 66 W. Church St., Bethlehem. Hours: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Friday - Sunday, and by appointment, Closed Monday - Thursday. https://historicbethlehem.org/ ; 1-800-360-TOUR

“Gallery View” is a column about artists, exhibitions and galleries. To request coverage, email: Paul Willistein, Focus editor, pwillistein@tnonline.com