Toys aren’t just for kids, especially classic toys.
The Toy Museum at Natural Bridge claims to have the “largest collection of childhood memorabilia on display in the world” with more than 45,000 of them. C.P. Brackett, museum owner/curator, says the toys are really artifacts.
“We have toys dating back to 1740, before this country was established,” he says. From tin toys dating before 1900 to Star Wars figurines, visitors can rediscover their childhood and share that special time with their own children. The museum’s web-site, www.awesometoymuseum.com, was named by visiting children, who Brackett says always describe the collection as “awesome.”
Opening in Spring 2006: the “World’s Largest Permanently Installed Multi-Gauge Model Railroad.” Bracket says it took four years to build the layout.
The train “crosses” the country:
“The track is laid across a model of the entire United States and includes scenic stops such as the Painted Desert,” Brackett says.
Location: Exit 175 off I-81, Natural Bridge. 1-800-869-7476, www.awesometoymuseum.com.
—Gail Fleenor
