Local historian, photographer and nationally known collector of photographica, Thom Hindle, will share a collection of camera-related Valentine's Day cards, some dating back to the early 1900s, during the month of February in a special exhibit at the Children's Museum of New Hampshire in Dover. (Continued below)  

Many of the cards have illustrations of children taking pictures of their valentines with old-fashioned box cameras. Mass production of cards began as early as 1800. In 1840, the first mechanical valentines were introduced. By pulling a tab, a figure or object on the card could be made to move.  Some had elaborate honeycomb "pop-outs" or various other three dimensional features.

VISIT Thom Hindle WEB SITE

Other cards on display are from the 1940s and 1950s, when American school children usually celebrated Valentine's Day with a party at school. Prior to the party, the children would make a decorated box with a slot in the top. During the party, the children would distribute valentines to their classmates' Valentine Box. Samples of early embossed mechanical and 1940s school cards are featured in the exhibit at the Children’s Museum of NH.

Sue Kaufmann, Director of Exhibits, stated, “We are happy to be hosting this month-long exhibit that bridges two of our favorite subject: art and history. Thom Hindle’s colorful collection of Valentine’s Day cards is of great interest to kids as well as adults. Because the cards feature a photography theme, children can see the evolution of cameras from back in the days when posing for a photo was quite a big deal and required much larger equipment than the pocket-sized digital cameras of today.”
 
The Valentine exhibit will be on display at the museum through February 28, and can be viewed when the museum is open to the public: Tuesday – Saturday 10 am – 5 pm and Sunday 12-5 pm. Visitors wishing to come in and view just this exhibit may do so at no charge by checking in at the front desk for a gallery visitor badge. People wishing to explore the entire museum will pay the standard admission fee of $8 per person.  
 
About the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire

The not-for-profit Children’s Museum of New Hampshire is located at 6 Washington Street in Dover and offers two levels of hands-on, custom-created exhibits for children ages 1-12. Children can explore a wide range of subjects, from dinosaurs, music and aeronautics to world cultures, art and natural history. Open year-round, the museum hosts a variety of live performances, workshops, classes and special events for families. Since opening in Dover mid-summer 2008, the museum has welcomed more than 260,000 visitors from 50 U.S. states and more than 20 countries. For more information, please call the museum at (603) 742-2002 or visit the WEB SITE