Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Macchu Picchu
Peru • 10 days, 9 nights
Peru: Machu Picchu & the Last Incan Bridges
from
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
View all trips
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Michigan Beaver Island Toy Museum
AO Edited

Beaver Island Toy Museum

On a remote island in the northern reaches of Lake Michigan, a museum of collectibles collides with a vintage toy store.

Beaver Island, Michigan

Added By
Roxanne Hoorn
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
A doll head dug up on the island in 1907.   Roxanne Hoorn
Toys fill up the rafters at the museum.   Roxanne Hoorn
A doll tea party in the museum.   Roxanne Hoorn
A display case of discarded toys.   Roxanne Hoorn
The Beaver Island Toy Museum Sign tucked into the trees the surround the main building.   Roxanne Hoorn
Signs above the entrance read: “A little nonsense works” and “All the magic you seek is within you.”   Roxanne Hoorn
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Tucked into the woods on the coast of Beaver Island, this colorful toy museum is filled from floor to rafters with toys for kids of all ages, and the young at heart. Vintage dolls from around the globe and cowgirl figurines from 1937 line the walls. Toy planes, boats, and trucks from the 1910s and beyond hang from the rafters among tricycles and bicycles alike. The island respite is also home to many misfit toys, from local dug-up doll heads to jars stuffed with miscellaneous trinkets, and plenty of Bigfoot paraphernalia.

The aisles are filled with a plethora of vintage toys literally at children's fingertips: jars of tacks, toy soldiers, and things that wind up, whiz and woosh. No matter where you look, there’s always something new to discover; like a hidden (and slightly horrifying) tea party tucked into a corner. Many of the older oddities and collectibles aren’t for sale. Then again, many are.

And the fun spills out the back door. A yard with toys and a playhouse leads to a small art studio featuring local artists' work, like a photo series of Bigfoot lounging about the toy shop and island. The real star of the show is Mary Rose. She’s known for her colorful paintings, but she’s also the founder of the Beaver Island Toy Museum, and can often be found behind the counter.

Mary Rose, 84, is a former kindergarten teacher and lifelong artist. Her love for toys blossomed when she had her son, inspiring her to make and sell toys and other goods, from stuffed toys to wooden puzzles. As her collection and obsession grew, she opened a shop in Chicago. In 1979, she spent one day visiting the island before deciding to move and open the toy museum.

There is no cost for entry, but odds are you won’t leave empty-handed. 

Related Tags

Dolls Museums Toy Museums Toys

Know Before You Go

The store is open Memorial Day weekend through early fall. Its hours are typically 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., but they may vary. Once you see the toy museum sign you walk on a path through the wooded yard and the museum will appear in front of you. You won't miss it.

Community Contributors

Added By

roxannehoorn

Published

August 17, 2023

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.mlive.com/galleries/PKWPNCAU7BFEVNHF7NK4AMM3IQ/
  • https://www.beaverisland.net/People/Toy_Museum/
Beaver Island Toy Museum
37970 Michigan Ave
Beaver Island, Michigan, 49782
United States
45.746021, -85.50797
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Mormon Print Shop Museum

Beaver Island, Michigan

miles away

Ruins of the Waugoshance Light Station

Carp Lake, Michigan

miles away

Legs Inn

Cross Village, Michigan

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Michigan

Michigan

United States

Places 268
Stories 28

Nearby Places

Mormon Print Shop Museum

Beaver Island, Michigan

miles away

Ruins of the Waugoshance Light Station

Carp Lake, Michigan

miles away

Legs Inn

Cross Village, Michigan

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Michigan

Michigan

United States

Places 268
Stories 28

Related Stories and Lists

11 Places Where Dolls Are a Frightening Sight

List

By Jonathan Carey

Related Places

  • A miniature ice cream parlor by artist Judy King.

    St. Louis, Missouri

    Miniature Museum of Greater St. Louis

    A big museum full of little worlds.

  • Kragujevac, Serbia

    20 Cola Museum

    A unique museum documents pop culture and bicycles from the 20th century Serbia.

  • Skeleton fair.

    San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

    Don Sshinda Collection

    An artisanal toy-maker’s works are highlighted in this museum dedicated to the craft of toys.

  • British teddy bears.

    Basel, Switzerland

    Spielzeug Welten Museum

    An unassuming Swiss institution houses Europe's largest toy museum.

  • Bobblehead Hall of Fame

    Milwaukee, Wisconsin

    National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum

    This quirky museum has a collection of more than 15,000 bobblehead dolls.

  • House of Marbles.

    Bovey Tracey, England

    House of Marbles

    This historic factory peddles classic toys from the picturesque English county of Devon.

  • Dolls.

    Onil, Spain

    Museo de la Muñeca

    Learn how dolls are made in this fascinating museum inside a 19th-century mansion.

  • The Mariachi

    Puebla, Mexico

    Casa del Títere (House of Puppets)

    A former factory hosts an amazing collection of Mexican marionettes.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.