Amber Lopez: Internship at The Toy Museum of New York, Department of Communication Design, NYCCT/CUNY, Summer semester.
The private, not-for -profit, company that I am currently interning for is called The Toy Museum of New York. It’s located in Brooklyn, although it’s location varies since I am working on the illustration and animations, so we meet in a library, a theater where the shows are hosted, or the BRIC Museum for studio sessions. The museum works to educate children on the history and importance of toys, and their primary customers are teachers and adults with children to watch the shows. It was founded by Marlene Hochman in 1991, and she still owns and runs the business. My contribution to the company is to illustrate, animate, and improve upon projects that will be placed together in video secessions for the theater shows that they host for children. I also work with one other person who is the video and audio editor.
I found two articles about the Toy Museum with one describing it as a “museum-stage set hybrid” that is “suitable for children ages 3 and up.” It also mentions that Marlene Hochman sings, dances, loves toys, and takes on the persona of Queen Marlene, who teaches children about the museum’s toy collection and that they should take care of and share their toys. The other article spoke more about the museum, and that New York City used to be the “center for toy manufacturing,” and that the museum “chronicles societal changes as seen through vintage toy objects.” I can confirm that these news articles are correct in their statements and information about the Toy Museum.
