Yesterday's Children Antique Doll and Toy Museum

Wow....when we first started walking through this museum, we couldn't decide if we were fascinated, overly interested or disinterested, whether it was cool ... or even a little creepy!!  This museum contained over 2000 dolls from all over the world - think of all those eyes staring at you!!  But, if you take it a section at a time, it is a very endearing walk down memory lane!  More so for me, but we both enjoyed it:)

Experience a stroll through childhood as you view dolls and toys from 1843 to present day. The museum houses one of the largest collections in the United States of rare 19th and 20th century French and German bisque dolls. It includes fascinating displays of antique teddy bears (Steiff and others), Shirley Temple dolls (1934 to present), Madame Alexanders, movie star dolls, composition dolls, Barbies, current artist dolls, doll houses and carriages, and doll accessories. Boys' toys include trains, pedal cars, rocking horses, G.I. Joes, toy soldiers, cars, planes, trucks, guns and construction and farm equipment. The museum gift shop offers an impressive array of artist dolls, Southern Belles, collector dolls, paper doll books, Civil War memorabilia and boys' toys.

For some ... here is your walk down memory lane.  For some others, you know they are watching you.

 Circa  1890 to 1895  Amazingly excellent condition right?

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My own children had these toys.

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Tara with Scarlet and Rhett and the girls :)

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This little beauty has a china face and looks like she was never hugged!  Poor baby!

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Ok, for some reason these two kinda freaked me out, but if you look closely, the picture in the lap of the left doll is a photo of the original owner with these dolls.  Very unusual, yes?

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Now Tiny Tears I can relate to.  I had a Tiny Tears when
I was little, she was my favorite doll!

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Victorian Baby Doll Buggy - Pram

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Voodoo Dolls!!

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How's this for a ride??!!

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Ginny Doll's - another doll dear to my heart!

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 Barbie's by the hundreds!!!!

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Barbie with the black and white stripped swim suit, brunet hair, she was mine too!  Who else out there had a Barbie Doll?

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 Yes, more Barbie's and the Coca-Cola line!

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Here are more toys I remember because my children had some of them!

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" Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore!"



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The 'Ginny" Doll collection - Madame Alexander !

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Here's another cutie from the past - Shirley Temple.

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J.D.Kestner dolls circa 1895 and 1910 - a German doll maker.

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Antique Victorian Doll Stroller

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Say hi to Charlie McCarthy and Laurel and Hardy!



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Emmett Kelly, Howdy Doody, Mortimer Snerd, and Danny O'Day.   The dolls below these guys are the American Doll collection.  A popular doll maker of today.

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 Various Dolls from various makers, mostly French and German doll makers circa late 1800's to early 1900's

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As a museum there is always a gift shop and they are getting pretty smart in that they make the 'exit' from the museum through the gift shop!  The last three dolls were among the gift shop items and were for sale.  No, I didn't buy any but it was nice to look!

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They even had a 'retiree' doll !!

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This may not have been a good chapter for you guys out there but I bet all the gals really liked it!  I'm guessing that every one of your girl friends saw a doll from their childhood .. at least I hope so.  I was very surprised at how many dolls were in this museum and that they were, for the most part, in good to excellent condition.  It was a nice way to spend a couple hours and I hope you enjoyed it too.  More Soon :)