100 years of Kurt Naef – exhibition at the Swiss Children’s Museum in Baden
May 1st to 31st, 2026
Twenty years ago, in May 2006, Kurt Naef looked back on his life’s work together with many visitors at an exhibition at the Children’s Museum in Baden. The exhibition centered on the publication of the book “Kurt Naef – Der Spielzeugmacher/The Toymaker,” which showcases his multifaceted work. No one suspected at the time that his final farewell was imminent, as the inventor of numerous toys passed away in November of that year at the age of 80. An exhibition is now being held in his honor at the same location. Kurt Naef, whose 100th birthday would have been this year, devoted a large part of his life to the concept of playing, and the creation of toys.
For three generations, his toys have been found in children’s rooms, in cribs, on shelves in living rooms, or on desks, some of them carefully packed away and patiently waiting for their next use. It is often difficult to tell how much they’ve been used, because quality was the top priority for the designer of these toys. They should look nice, with harmonious colors and shapes, and be pleasant to touch. They should offer a variety of play options and invite experimentation. As a trained carpenter and certified interior designer, wood was the obvious material of choice for him to realize his ideas and visions. In 1956, Kurt Naef invented his first building game made of wooden cubes with diagonal cuts, which allowed for more sophisticated constructions than conventional building blocks. Naef-Spiel (Naef Toys) was born and has been in continuous production ever since. Later, Kurt Naef turned his attention to toys for the very youngest of children, as there was a lack of well-designed products on the market for little ones.
He created grasping toys for babies such as Kauring (chew ring), Baby Balls, and Ringli Ring, items that are still manufactured and in demand today. Kurt Naef worked tirelessly and persistently, trying out new ideas and producing prototypes. Around 60 products designed by him were sold successfully for decades and some are still on the market today.
Kurt Naef believed in his visions. His guiding principle was that children everywhere play, and beautiful products are appreciated all over the world. His success proved him right. The Naef brand soon spread beyond national borders, all the way to Japan. Since the 1970s, there has been close cooperation with this Far Eastern country, where aesthetic standards are high and quality educational toys are valued.
Kurt Naef was always open to new ideas and was therefore also interested in the ideas of other designers who presented their creations to him. His trained eye immediately recognized the value of a new product. It was important that it fit in with the Naef philosophy, but also that it was marketable and suitable for series production. Over time, more than 100 designers from all over the world contributed to the Naef product range. Collaboration with creative people continues to be a key factor in the company’s success today.
The exhibition showcases Kurt Naef’s entire creative body of work. The message is clear: good design, meticulous craftsmanship, and beautiful materials stand the test of time. When asked whether educational wooden toys still have a place today alongside electronic gadgets, he once replied: “Hands-on games are an old tradition which always offer new experiences – they will never disappear.”