The Fort Worth Museum of Science and History wants to let everyone in on a secret – it’s an intriguing new exhibit called Top Secret: Mission Toy. Kids will have a unique opportunity to play toy detective when the exhibit of toys from around the world opens November 8, 2008. It will be on display on the first floor of the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame, the Museum’s temporary exhibit home during construction of its new, world-class facility.

We all know that kids play with toys because it’s fun, but did you know that toys also help children develop important cognitive, social and motor skills? They help socialize children, teaching them to share, compromise and cooperate with their peers. Many toys also foster creativity and imagination, critical thinking and problem-solving.

But nobody knows toys better than kids. That’s why the Museum of Science and History is calling in the experts for Top Secret: Mission Toy. Young guests will don a lab coat and embark on an important mission: to inspect toys from around the world. They’ll use their investigative and playtime skills to check out dolls and balls and secret codes, find out why tops are tops, and how string can be a fascinating thing.

“Toys are such an essential part of growing up, yet we often overlook their important role in educating and socializing our children,” said Kit Goolsby, Vice President of Education at the Museum of Science and History. “Top Secret: Mission Toy shows us that while they take many different shapes, from simple wooden tops to remote-controlled robots, toys are an important part of life in cultures around the world. A child’s need to have fun is universal.”

Top Secret: Mission Toy was created and produced by the Canadian Children’s Museum (CCM) in Gatineau, Quebec, for the Youth Museum Exhibit Collaborative. The exhibit highlights the CCM’s rich collection of toys, as well as hands-on displays, interactive devices, games and other activities aimed at children ages 5 to 12, their families, and school groups.

Admission to Top Secret: Mission Toy is included with regular exhibit admission ($8 for adults, $7 for children and seniors), which also includes admission to the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame.