Playing, learning, eating, sleeping and being active – how children grow up today is not least a question of design. Since the 19th century, children’s lives and experiences have been shaped by furniture, toys, books and everyday objects designed especially for little ones. Even early design objects provide an understanding of the phenomenon of childhood and the changing social perception of it. In the 20th century, which the Swedish educationalist Ellen Key proclaimed the ‘century of the child’ in 1900, the planning of spaces and objects for children developed into a distinct discipline. However, the focus on the theme of childhood has often given modern designers particular freedom and creativity – from reform design around 1900 to the Bauhaus and post-war design in East and West to the present day. With its high standards on simplicity and intuitive usability, design for children can almost be considered a paradigm for good design.

‘Design for Children’ brings together examples of furniture, product and graphic design and locates them in their time of origin. In addition to the design of children’s rooms and playgrounds, objects designed for children are also analysed in terms of their natural or artificial materiality. A separate room dedicated to children’s books not only presents historical examples, but also provides a small library for browsing, looking at and reading. The exhibition is aimed at children and adults alike and contains many interactive elements that can be tried out, played with and sat on. It encourages a change of perspective between young and old and is an invitation to adults interested in design to look at the material world through the eyes of a child.

Media partners: Wall GmbH, radio3, Himbeer, tip, The Berliner, Dinamix
Supported by the IKEA Foundation

Curatorial team: Theresa Augustin M.A., Dr Anna Grosskopf (Director), Jana Jarzembowski M.A. (Education and Outreach), Nils Martin Müller (Education and Outreach)
Exhibition design: Katleen Arthen

Child with play equipment ‘Schaukelwanne’ by Günter Beltzig, around 1966, Photo: Dr Roman Fink © Iri Beltzig – Design: Gerwin Schmidt, 2024

Program for the exhibition

Opening of the exhibition

Sun, 13.10., 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., free admission, registration not required

Free family tours (plus museum admission)

Every 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month, 11am-12pm, registration not required

Free public guided tours (plus museum admission)

Every Saturday, 4 pm, registration not required

Free public guided tours (plus museum admission)

Every first Sunday of the month, 1pm – 2pm & 4pm – 5pm, registration not required

Digital curator tour

On Mon, 14.10., 6 pm, there will be a live tour on Instagram @broehan_museum.

Comic reading: “Kinderland” and live drawing with the Berlin comic artist Mawil

Sat, 18.1., 11 am, more info here.

Designbande – creative hands-on studio

Drop-in offer, every 1st Sunday of the month, 1pm – 4pm,
Registration not required

Free “Family Sundays”

Every 3rd Sunday of the month, 11 a.m., for children (5-12 years) and their families, 90 min,
Registration required at: vermittlung@broehan-museum.de, Tel: 030/32 69 06 25

Fall vacation at the Bröhan Museum

A book every day! Designing, drawing and telling fantastic pages, Mon-Thu, 21-24.10., 10 am – 3 pm.
For children aged 8-12, further information and registration here .

Further training for teachers

Thu, 17.10., or Fri, 18.10., both 4-6 pm.
After an exclusive guided tour of the exhibition, the educational program for school classes will be presented.
Registration required. Further information here .

Program for school classes in the context of the exhibition

Further information and registration here .