Bucks Museum hosts nostalgic 1980s exhibition

Curator Matt Fox says he wants to show the 1980s as it was experienced by children and teenagers

The curator of an exhibition celebrating the 1980s hopes to represent the decade's culture through "the lens of childhood".

I Grew Up 80s opens at Bucks Museum in Aylesbury and features "over 200 treasures" including gadgets and toys.

Curator Matt Fox, who was born in 1972, said media images of the period were "usually of the Falklands War, the Royal wedding or yuppies".

"The 80s were a remarkable time to be a child," said Mr Fox.

"It will really take you on that nostalgia trip back to that childhood time in the '80s".

Iconic items like the Sony Walkman and Casio boombox are on display at Bucks Museum

Museum curator Matt Fox said he wanted to explore the way he saw his 1980s childhood

Mr Fox told BBC Three Counties Radio that people can explore "how different life was pre-internet" through the objects "that kids either owned or perhaps desperately wanted to".

The exhibition also features purple shell suits, Dunlop trainers and iconic technology such as the Sony Walkman.

There are also "iconic albums you played to death on vinyl and cassette" and chocolate bars that were popular at the time.

The exhibition also features '80s fashion like shell suits and leg warmers

Mr Fox said: "You can see nostalgia on your mobile phones, but there's nothing like seeing objects in person."

When asked what his favourite items were, he replied: "I like tech and my favourite bit of '80s tech is the Casio KX 101 boombox - this thing has 131 individual dials and buttons on it.

"It's even got a piano keyboard - it's an absolute monster of a boombox."

I Grew Up 80s opened on Saturday and was due to run until 16 March 2024.