Heritage Gallery

One of the true pioneers of the doll industry, "Madame" Beatrice Alexander Behrman began her life's work creating dolls to engage the imaginations of children. Ultimately, her impeccable designs came to mirror the changing fashions, dreams and tastes of a nation, and today offer a unique view of social evolution in the 20th century.

The Madame Alexander Heritage Gallery® is founded upon her enduring vision and stands as a tribute to her legacy of style, quality, and innovation. A collection of more than 600 Madame Alexander Dolls from the 1920s to present, this exclusive exhibit brings to life the fascinating developments of Madame's career and her many contributions to the doll industry itself, all against the backdrop of the times in which she lived.

Gallery Highlights

The Heritage Gallery's exhibition space and permanent collection allows visitors to travel back through a timeline of significant milestones in the Company's history, illustrated via storyboards, archival photographs and the dolls themselves. Highlights of its exhibits include:

• Early examples of dolls created from a revolutionary new product called "plastic", its use pioneered in the industry by the Alexander Doll Company in 1947.

• Doll designs inspired by great works of literature and the Arts, fairytales, nursery rhymes, film characters and differing world cultures. The selection includes early incarnations from Alice in Wonderland (ca. 1935) and Little Women (ca. late 40s).

• Examples of Cissy®, Madame's most celebrated creation, introduced in 1955 as the first doll to model haute couture-inspired designs on her womanly figure.

• A fascinating video presentation introducing Madame, her sources of inspiration, and the members of the current Alexander design team who continue to express her vision in the language of dolls.

Other Gallery highlights include prototypes that were never manufactured, select dolls from Madame's famed First Ladies series, and limited editions of dolls produced for the Madame Alexander Doll Club throughout the years. Also on view is doll making equipment for live demonstrations, as well as wax sculpt prototypes and samples of doll assembly that reveal more about the doll making process.

BEHIND THE SCENES Tours
Behind the Scenes Tours are available by appointment only. These tours are $8/person for adults, $4/person for children and $5/person for senior citizens. A Behind the Scenes Tour includes (1) the Regular Tour, (2) visits to Design, Sewing and Production, (3) a trip to The Doll Hospital.

Group Tours
Group tours (10 or more guests) must be booked in advance. For groups larger than 20, two guides may be needed. As such, larger groups may be split up to make touring easier. Please inquire for tour fee.

Workshops
Our on-site workshops are special hands-on experiences, and participants will have a memento that will be treasured for years. Madame Alexander currently offers the following:

Hat and Shoe Workshop: Create your very own stylish doll-size hat and shoes using trims and glue. $10/person.

Create-a-Doll Workshop: Personalize your own Madame Alexander Play Doll by choosing body and eye color, hairstyle and color, and a fashionable outfit.

• 18-inch Play Doll - $45/person.
• Extra Outfits - $10/each.

For more information or to arrange a behind-the-scene tour, please contact the Madame Alexander Heritage Gallery® at 212-283-5900 ext. 7299 or e-mail us at CaseyM@alexdoll.com