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Bluegrass

Local toy museum makes space for nostaglia

by | Jan 23, 2025 | Area News, Latest

Stephen Gardner, owner and operator of The Best Little Toy Museum in Texas, stands next to the Iron Man suit that is at the entrance to one of the three rooms holding his 20,000-piece collection of toys and memorabilia. The museum, located in St. Paul, is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday through Sunday.

For some, the magic of toys does not fade when Santa stops coming. At The Best Little Toy Museum in Texas, childhood wonder continues for kids of all ages.

Located in St. Paul on a residential property, the museum is home to more than 20,000 toys and collectibles.

“(The museum) is probably 98% my personal collection,” said owner and operator Stephen Gardner, adding that his two sons might argue that their contributions deserve more credit.

The museum’s superhero room owes much to their input, and neighbors have donated pieces of their own collections to fill in the decades of entertainment represented in the museum.

By Allison LaBrot

For more on this story see the January 23, 2025 print, or digital edition of the Murphy Monitor. Subscribe today and support local journalism in your community.

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