Playing with your eyes
Ever been mislead by your own eyes? This cannot be avoided in the area 'Playing with your eyes'. Not everything is what it appears to be! Optical toys use the fact that ones brains sometimes 'see' other things than ones eyes.
Optical fun
At the beginning of the 19th century, the development of optical toys expanded greatly. Shadow theatres, firework boxes and optical illustrations were very popular. The magic lamp and the stereoscope are predecessors of the slide projector and the television.
They provided entertainment and showed images of far away countries and exotic animals. The transformation of an anamorphosis results in beautiful drawings. Kaleidoscopes, with their colourful, abstract images, are fascinating.
Playing with your eyes
How the eye works plays an important part in optical toys. The effects of lenses, light and shadow, perspective and mirrors have been incorporated. One doesn't have enough eyes in this new exhibition. Peek though the slits of a zoetrope and discover the first steps towards making films. In Ames' room, a small person is big and a big person is small once again for a while. Come and play with your eyes!