Ken at Christmas in Loughlinstown, 1970s
New display at BOI, 101 George’s Street Upper, Dúnlaoghaire, from Tuesday 27th of May 2025
“For as long as I can remember I have loved model making. The son of an airline MRO (Maintenance Repair & Overhaul) coachbuilder, I was drawn to aeroplanes. Add to this the fact that I was always in the airport as a kid, watching excitedly as the planes took off, the buzz on the apron, and in the hangers on the far side of the airfield, where staff were ferried to and from their aircraft. Also as a kid I travelled to many major airports around the world too.
This is where I got my love of planes.
In the early 1980s we once had an eight hour layover in Atlanta International Airport (ATL), the busiest airport in the world. ATL has its own underground railway system. I rode those trains all day, until it was time to depart.
This is probably where I got my love of trains.
When my dad was a kid he loved Airfix models. He’d hang them from the ceiling to simulate them in flight.
This is definitely where I got my love of model making.
When I was kid, in the late 70s, Lego was starting to gain traction as the latest toy. It was taking market share from traditional building kits like Airfix and Mechano.
Like many families in 70s and 80s recession Ireland, we travelled “up North” to do the “Christmas Shop”. Certain toy stores would have Lego displays, and I would stare in awe at the miniature worlds contained within, pestering my parents to ask Santa for the biggest Lego set available.
When Christmas morning came around I would usually get a modest set, a Police Station one year, Fire Station the next. Four years in and I finally got my Airport! Lego has always been an expensive toy. That is to be expected, given the high quality.
Growing up in 70s Ireland, things were bleak, but my parents gave me the best childhood anyone could ask for. They also gave me an appreciation for the value of things. Hence, I kept my Lego sets in a 100% completely pristine condition. I treasured these sets, from the large Airport set, to the smallest car set that I received.
Some people think that being an AFOL (Adult Fan Of Lego) is slightly odd, and when I tell people, I have endured looks and comments over the years. But it’s just a fascination with model making and miniatures. A quiet, reflective and mindful hobby, spending time building miniatures is time spent sitting quietly, thinking about everything and nothing, and letting the world, and time, fly by.
In later life I studied 3D model making and animation, and that has led me to find my dream job in VFX ( Visual Effects).
In VFX, our job is to create and enhance digital elements that either support or completely build out the visual storytelling in film and television. That can mean anything from subtle cleanups and sky replacements to full-blown CG environments, creature animation, digital doubles, or complex FX simulations like explosions, weather, water, and destruction. We work with a wide range of tools and software, like Maya, Houdini, Nuke, and Unreal Engine to model, texture, light, animate, simulate, and composite digital assets into live-action plates.
A big part of our work is making sure everything we create integrates naturally into the shot, so it feels like it was captured in-camera. That means constantly referencing real-world physics, lighting, and behavior, and collaborating with other departments—like onset VFX supervisors, cinematographers, and editorial, to make sure our work lines up with the creative vision. We’re always solving technical and artistic challenges, whether it’s optimising assets for faster renders or finding creative ways to hit tight deadlines. It’s a fast-paced, ever-evolving field where problem-solving and innovation go hand in hand with creativity and storytelling.
But above all, the team I work with are such a dedicated, hardworking and talented group of individuals, and that is an amazing and rewarding experience.”
Ken Davis.
Lego and the Museum of Childhood Ireland
The Museum of Childhood Ireland (MCI) presents a sophisticated institutional framework that positions Lego not merely as a toy artefact, but as a significant cultural object that embodies the museum’s core themes and pedagogical mission. Here we’ll examine the multifaceted ways in which Lego aligns with the museum’s ethos, narrative approach, and educational objectives, drawing upon Ken Davis’s personal narrative and pristine Lego collection as exemplars of the museum’s approach to childhood material culture.
Individual Narratives Within Broader Cultural Frameworks
Ken Davis’s story perfectly embodies MCI’s commitment to gather information/objects from a range of childhood stories A Museum of Childhood – The Museum of Childhood Ireland. Ken’s reflection that “Growing up in 70s Ireland, things were bleak, but my parents gave me the best childhood anyone could ask for” Ken Davis’ Lego illustrates how the museum positions individual childhood experiences within broader socio-economic contexts. His account of travelling “up North” to do the “Christmas Shop” like “many families in 70s and 80s recession Ireland” Ken Davis’ Lego demonstrates how Lego serves as a lens for examining cross-border economic realities, family aspirations, and the democratisation of luxury consumption during economically challenging periods.
The museum’s wide-angle approach to childhood that is both island-wide and international in scope Museum of Childhood Ireland – Ima finds perfect expression in Davis’s narrative, which seamlessly weaves together local Irish childhood experiences with international travel and global commercial culture. His exposure to “many major airports around the world” Ken Davis’ Lego and subsequent fascination with transportation models reflects the museum’s understanding of how Irish childhood exists within both local and cosmopolitan contexts.
Material Culture and Preservation Ethics
Davis’s approach to his Lego collection exemplifies the curatorial philosophy that underpins MCI’s approach to childhood artefacts. His commitment to keeping his “Lego sets in a 100% completely pristine condition” because he “treasured these sets” Ken Davis’ Lego aligns perfectly with the museum’s vision that includes a Toy Hospital and Repair Workshop The Museum of Childhood Ireland – Músaem Óige na hÉireann. This preservation ethic transforms toys from disposable consumer objects into cultural heritage artefacts worthy of institutional care and scholarly attention. Linking to MCI’s commitment to sustainability and UNSDG.
The meticulous condition of Davis’s collection, spanning from the large Airport set, to the smallest car set Ken Davis’ Lego, demonstrates how individual collectors can serve as inadvertent cultural custodians, preserving material evidence of childhood experiences for future academic study. This aligns with MCI’s mission to collect, curate, exhibit research and explore artefacts and stories as they relate to children and childhood on the island of Ireland from the earliest times to the present day IMA Membership Award for the Museum of Childhood Ireland – The Museum of Childhood Ireland.
Intergenerational Knowledge Transfer and Cultural Continuity
Davis’s narrative illuminates how childhood interests develop through intergenerational transmission, noting that “When my dad was a kid he loved Airfix models. He’d hang them from the ceiling to simulate them in flight. This is definitely where I got my love of model making” Ken Davis’ Lego. This generational continuity in constructive play aligns with MCI’s exploration of how childhood experiences connect across temporal boundaries whilst adapting to changing material cultures and technologies.
The transition from Airfix to Lego that Davis describes—”When I was kid, in the late 70s, Lego was starting to gain traction as the latest toy. It was taking market share from traditional building kits like Airfix and Mechano” Ken Davis’ Lego—provides valuable evidence for understanding technological and commercial shifts in childhood material culture, precisely the kind of cultural documentation that supports MCI’s academic mission.
Professional Development and Lifelong Learning
Davis’s progression from childhood Lego enthusiast to professional in visual effects demonstrates how constructive play experiences can influence career trajectories. His study of “3D model making and animation” leading to his “dream job in VFX (Visual Effects)” Ken Davis’ Lego exemplifies how childhood engagement with constructive toys can develop spatial reasoning, problem-solving skills, and creative thinking that translate into professional competencies.
This connection between childhood play and adult professional identity supports MCI’s broader educational mission to facilitate children’s enjoyment of tactile engagement with artefacts Programmes and Exhibitions – Museum of Childhood Ireland whilst demonstrating the long-term educational value of hands-on learning experiences.
Social Acceptance and Cultural Legitimacy
Davis’s acknowledgement that “Some people think that being an AFOL (Adult Fan Of Lego) is slightly odd, and when I tell people, I have endured looks and comments over the years” Ken Davis’ Lego highlights important questions about social attitudes towards adult engagement with childhood material culture. His defence of the hobby as “just a fascination with model making and miniatures. A quiet, reflective and mindful hobby” Ken Davis’ Lego aligns with MCI’s mission to challenge traditional attitudes where “children should be seen and not heard” Why a Museum of Childhood for the island of Ireland? – The Museum of Childhood Ireland by legitimising childhood interests as worthy of lifelong engagement and scholarly attention.
Pedagogical Implications and Interactive Learning
Davis’s description of Lego building as “time spent sitting quietly, thinking about everything and nothing, and letting the world, and time, fly by” Ken Davis’ Lego illuminates the contemplative and meditative aspects of constructive play that align with MCI’s commitment to use technology and ‘hands-on’ for interactive and educational experiences with artefacts Programmes and Exhibitions – Museum of Childhood Ireland. This mindful engagement with material objects supports the museum’s pedagogical approach that values both active construction and reflective contemplation.
Ken Davis’s Lego collection and personal narrative is a perfect case study by MCI in demonstrating how individual childhood experiences intersect with broader cultural, economic, and technological themes at the museum. His story embodies the museum’s commitment to presenting all the stories around childhood and growing up on the island of Ireland Irish Museum of Childhood: recalling Irish childhoods “warts and all” – The Irish Times whilst demonstrating how locally experienced childhood can connect to international commercial culture, professional development, and lifelong learning. Through Davis’s collection, MCI explores themes of economic aspiration, cultural preservation, intergenerational transmission, and the legitimacy of childhood interests as subjects worthy of serious academic attention—all core elements of the museum’s institutional mission and educational philosophy.
