Toys! Toys! Toys! What would your childhood have been without them? Whether it was board games, action figures, or dolls, toys played an important part in many of our lives. And now you can view some of those treasured artifacts at the Toy and Action Figure Museum in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma.
Toy Museum in Oklahoma
The self-described “best little toy museum in Oklahoma” may be a bit of an understatement, as this place is huge! With over 13,000 action figures on display, hundreds of drawings and sketches from Oklahoma cartoonists, and a children’s play area, every member of your family will find their favorite characters past and present.
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This museum opened its doors in October 2005 and is dedicated to the art and sculpting of action figures. It also houses the Oklahoma Cartoonist Hall of Fame. The museum is located at 111. S. Chickasaw Street, Pauls Valley, Oklahoma. And it’s a few miles off I-35 (exit 72) about halfway between Oklahoma City and Denton, Texas.
Action Figure Museum
Each room has several displays containing thousands of action figures, toys, and other collectible items. It’s one thing to make a list of all the great toys you played with as a kid, but it’s another to actually see them all in one place.
When you first enter the museum, you’re presented with a full-scale diorama of an adult toy collector’s bedroom. I’ll tell you, this is one of my favorite displays in the building. You can spend hours here looking at all the toys. There are SO MANY toys and action figures! You’ll find them on the floor, spilling out of the dresser drawers, up the walls, on the bed, etc.
Although this diorama is changed throughout the year, you’re likely to see characters from Star Wars, Ghostbusters, Teletubbies, Avengers, G.I. Joe, Coneheads, Berenstein Bears, Batman, plus old western characters like Howdy Doody and more. Can you find them in the pictures below?
Although this is a museum, there is a sense of fun evident everywhere. Reading the display descriptions (like the one below) shows you the sense of humor apparent throughout the museum.
Children’s Play Area
The Toy and Action Figure Museum also contains a children’s area where you’ll find toys they can play with, costumes, and the emergency hotline phones like those from the original Batman series
Kids love to dress up in costumes and pretend to be their favorite superhero, especially when they get to choose what they can wear. They’ll love prancing around this area!
Oklahoma Cartoonist Hall of Fame
This museum also houses the Oklahoma Cartoonist Hall of Fame, which honors many talented artists from the state. The walls are filled with paintings and sketches from these creative people. The Oklahoma Cartoonists Collection has some pieces by famous artists.
We had the opportunity to chat one on one with museum curator, Kevin Stark. Mr. Stark is an Oklahoma artist, toy designer, musician, and cartoonist. He is the creator of Geezer comics, a comic about the adventures of a 79-year-old super hero (shown in the upper left of the image above).
He said that he wanted the museum to be fun for all ages. When asked about his favorite exhibits, he said that the adult collector diorama and the Bat Cave would be his top two. Look at the slideshow below and glimpse into the Bat Cave.
Final Thoughts
We’ve seen a lot of other toy museums over the years, but this is our first one dedicated to action figures. This place has so much stuff to see from new toys still in the original packaging to toys that are 30 years old.
I’m not a toy collector, but you don’t have to be to enjoy this museum. If you played with action figures or have a child who does, then this museum is definitely for you. The fact that it’s $7 for adults, $5 for children 2-12 to visit, and open seven days a week should make it an easy stop on your next road trip between Oklahoma City and Dallas.
Visit the Toy and Action Figure Museum website for more information and a list of any special events.
When you make your way to downtown Pauls Valley, schedule some time for lunch at Bob’s Pig Shop for delicious local barbecue or stop further south at the Bedré Chocolate Factory (exit 55 on I-35) that offers free samples.
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