Once upon a time: the Dolls' Hospital

Do you know there is a special place where kids and adults could make their dreams come true? What? Disneyland? Oh no, it is as nearer as you might think. It is “the Doll’s Hospital” and it is in Naples. Are you ready for a time-travel?

“The Doll’s Hospital” was founded at the end of 19th century by a strange character named Luigi Grassi, known for his mustache rolled upward and his curious tuft called bananina put at the centre of the head. He was a scenographer of some court and puppies theatres. The idea of a Hospital that could recollect every kind of toy to fix and repair came to Luigi during a working day into his small shop in S.Biagio dei Librai Street, when a woman entered in with a broken doll in the hands. At that sight the artisan, who used to wear a white coat not to get dirty, reassured the woman promising her that the doll would have come back to life once again. The promise was keeped and since then, many other mums went there in order to fix the toys for their children. It was just a sentence of one of them to give the  name to the shop: “Me par’ proprio o’spital’ r’e bambole” (“It seems like a dolls hospital”) and from that time on, that ‘magician’ on a small wooden board, wrote in red letters “Dolls Hospital”, adding a cross very similar to those we find in all the hospitals.

The Hospital, since then, works just like a recovery room where it is possible to find any kind of toys (whether a doll or a puppy) of every age and type waiting for their repair. Among them little damsels well-dressed, baby-dolls made of porcelain, celluloid or paper and many other ancient toys; or just puppets and toys according the Partenopean culture. It is like a real Hospital, where the little patients silently wait for their turn to be repaired.

This enchanted place can be conceived not only as an artesan’s shop, but also offers the chance to the little ones to create one. Thanks to the “Bambolatorio” and the “Kit Bambolina”, children have the opportunity to freely play with their friends as if they were real doctor, tryin’g to heal real patients. At the end of it, the Hospital will be glad to offer to each one a special pizzza called “pizza bambolina” (“the little doll’s pizza”).

Not so far from the previous location, recently the Dolls Hospital moved to Marigliano Palace, in S.Biagio dei Librai Street, 39. If you want to book a special visit among lots of beds, doctor’s gown and prescription books:

Contacts: phone 081-203067; mobile: +39 3934847244; e-mail: ospedaledellebambole@gmail.com

Opening hours: from Monday to Friday all day from 10 am to 6 pm; on Saturday from 10 a.m to 6 p. m.

It is also possible to reserve at different times, but it is likely to call before.

Price: 3 euros