The 1920s Life of the Porter Children, Ella and Hazel

The 1920s Life of the Porter Children, Ella and Hazel opens at Miss Porter's House Museum on Sunday 11 October, from 1:00pm to 4:00pm. It's an interactive look at the world of two sisters, Ella and Hazel, and what their lives were like during the 1920s. The museum describes it as having 'not a Barbie in sight', and that's a fair summary: the toys on display are all non-plastic.

You'll find tin-plate mechanical toys that likely date from before 1914, alongside early dolls made of wood and cloth. The collection shows how materials shifted over time, moving from cloth to early celluloid and then to the soft plastics we're used to. It's a tangible way to see how play changed across a few decades.

The exhibition doesn't stop at toys. School magazines, photographs, reports, certificates and prizes give a glimpse into school life at the time, and replicas of these items let you follow how children were taught to draw and write poems. Young visitors are encouraged to compare their own school experiences with those of Ella and Hazel, so it works as a family outing as much as a trip for anyone interested in local history.

The museum is family-friendly, with a gift shop on site and disabled access. It's at 434 King Street, Newcastle West, and entry ranges from A$0.00 to A$34.00, depending on who's coming along.