Two giant toy soldiers stand guard at the entrance on West 76 Country Boulevard, marking the spot for a museum complex that holds over a million individual toys. The collection is the life's work of a single collector, Tom Beck, and it fills two separate buildings with dense, wall-to-wall exhibits. Inside, the sheer volume is the first thing you notice. Thousands of glass cases are packed with items, creating a maze-like path that guides you chronologically through the history of play.
The collection covers everything from 19th-century cast iron pieces and tin toys to the action figures that defined later generations. You’ll find extensive displays dedicated to Star Wars, Star Trek, and G.I. Joe, alongside a staggering collection of over 900 Barbie dolls. Entire sections are devoted to specific types of playthings – farm toys, model trains, Hot Wheels, and slot cars all have their own dedicated space. The Roark Valley Modular Railroad club even maintains a large, running train display here.
But this is more than just one museum. The complex also houses several other distinct collections, including the National BB Gun Museum, the World of Checkers Museum, and even small museums dedicated to author Harold Bell Wright and broadcaster Paul Harvey Jr. While the experience is mostly about looking, there are a few interactive stations where you can build with Lincoln Logs or race cars on a Hot Wheels track. Plan on spending at least two to three hours to make your way through it all.
World's Largest Toy Museum
