Yard of Lost Toys

This typical urban courtyard in one of Lviv’s oldest neighborhoods has become a makeshift museum, and home to an unlikely exhibition of toys that were tragically forgotten and left behind.

The collection began when a resident of one of the surrounding apartment blocks at 1 Mukachivska St found two lost toys nearby, and placed them under a small roof in the shared courtyard, in case the owner returned to collect them. The owner never did come back, and an unlikely shrine to lost things was born. Ever since, the little corner has attracted all manner of junk and former plaything, creating a melancholy little space that is nonetheless fascinating for its bittersweet looks.   

In the years since, the collection has grown as residents of the apartment blocks surrounding the yard have given a temporary home to hundreds of plush animals, dolls, musical instruments, figurines, and bicycles. One of the things that makes this amazing little found museum all the more stunning is the fact that all of the found items are arranged like they  are part of some little shrine. Rather than being carelessly tossed into a pile in the corner, the various toys and tchotchkes are placed on rickety shelves and pieces of furniture. 

The collection at the yard is constantly changing, as new toys are added to the collection, and existing ones are collected by their owner, or find their way to a new home.