toy museum

I don't know where to place this thread in the forum. Moderators please relocate it as necessary:)

but there is a Toy Museum that also sells some of it's toys. I've not visited it, but I see that it also has animals in it's museum too, amongst all the other various toys.
I thought it might be of interest to anyone in Britain (unless you know about it already ?). Thank you

https://thehamiltontoycollection.co.uk/museum_soldiers

Really interesting

Thank you for the link Annette! :)

This is very interesting, thank you so much for sharing it!

So I decided to visit this toy museum last week!

It was completely jam packed with so many vintage toys - lots of 1/2nd metal and plastic animals, plus lots of human figures, and other toys from last century. Because it is all crammed into 5 small rooms including a staircase, and alcove and a hallway - you will toys in every millimetre of space!
I spent around 2hours there and still didn't see everything. Even though I looked into glass cabinets - there were still many little nooks and crannies to be noticed, plus the fact that a lot of the things were 'hiding in plain sight' I couldn't see for looking
It was set up by the parents of the 2 lovely family members who now run it. They have put their own personal extensive toy collections in it, and that's why it is all vintage figures from last century.
The majority of toys are from the UK but I did see some hausser animal figures in there too.
It has so many different genres covered and all manner of toys!

From animal figures to dolls, doll houses, action man and his huskies and horses to model trains, clip together cars and airplanes, and so many other wonders!
It costs £3 for entry and it will close for the winter time.

I took some photos but because everything has to be behind glass/perspex because of salivating visitors and sticky fingers and irregular lighting most of my photos are pretty crappy

They also have 2 jam packed rooms full of toys for sale!
There was a nice selection of animal figures and I got a beautiful metal zebra I've not seen before and some familiar plastic animals plus a little assortment of non Britains animals. (Some of the blue birds from Rio? and some other brand animals). I bought them from a really nice lady, Cat, and along with her brother she really does the museum justice!

The thing most of you will notice is that it hasn't got a single Schleich because the founders were from mid last century, and their children are also adults so Schleich and Bullyland etc are nowhere to be seen.
Nearly all the animal figures are mainly Britains size - 1/32nd

I will put some pics on. Hopefully you will be able to make something out of them.

metal lead figures in the shop
£1 and £3 each



plastic animals for sale
and lead figures





beautiful flock lead figures for sale


more lead figures, plus a couple plastic ones




the zebra I got

What a neat museum! Thank you so much for sharing with us!

Amazing, all the kinds of toys that have been made
Thankyou for link and photos

Looks like a great museum. So close from where I live, but I've never visited it - I have to go. Nice zebra, I've never seen it.

thank you Andreas, Paige, Susanne and Roger.
Susanne there were so many other non-animal toys, but I wanted to take pics only of the animals for here.
Yes Roger, the zebra is very nice. Perhaps the company that made it never graduated to plastic models

some more photos!!
it was hard to take decent pics because of the glass/perspex, and everything so close together

some painted slim tin animals
they look beautiful in real life, unlike these pics





mainly lead figures




lots of dogs!


so cute! this is where all the dalmations went to


and a customized camel


and customized old style plastic tiger

Thanks for the information, Nice photos

The traditional toy is turning gradually into a museum piece. Older people loves certainly to revisit the toys of their childhood.
I believe the kids of today will have the chance of visiting sections dedicated to electronic toys in the future and I wouldn't be surprised to see relatively young adults finding finding Game Boy, Nintendo 64, Tamagoshi, etc. soon.

Wow looks like a great place to visit ! Thanks for the pictures.

Great pictures and it looks like a wonderful place to visit!!!!!!

So many fun models, I love that snarling wolf peeking around the cabinet.

landrover wrote:

Thanks for the information, Nice photos

you are welcome Fernando

Roger wrote:

The traditional toy is turning gradually into a museum piece. Older people loves certainly to revisit the toys of their childhood.
I believe the kids of today will have the chance of visiting sections dedicated to electronic toys in the future and I wouldn't be surprised to see relatively young adults finding finding Game Boy, Nintendo 64, Tamagoshi, etc. soon.

yes I think you are right, toys are definitely changing. Soon they will be coveting their virtual world Avatars! as favourite toys (maybe it has already happened:D )

thebritfarmer wrote:

Wow looks like a great place to visit ! Thanks for the pictures.

most welcome! there are lots of metal animals in there which you would enjoy, and a selection to buy as well

Taos wrote:

Great pictures and it looks like a wonderful place to visit!!!!!!

indeed Taylor! thank you very much

Saarlooswolfhound wrote:

So many fun models, I love that snarling wolf peeking around the cabinet.

yes Paige lots of fun ones and some weird models too!
that snarling figure is actually a Hound of the Baskervilles!
it is wedged between 2 cabinets. I tried to pull it out to have a closer look but it is 'stuck' /:

a beautiful giraffe! this model is maybe my favourite giraffe ever


and a squirrel on a table having tea


some tiny little wood birds






and very tiny teddy bears!

a very beautifully illustrated Britains poster

I love the sketchy line drawings











more Britains







white kittens


cosy black cat


and a really cute beautiful space worm ? Love this figure so much

Very interesting! What was the black creature partially cut off in the Space Worm picture like?

The Britains display reminds me of the toy shop where I used to buy my Britains animals. Do you know what brand your favourite giraffe is? It does look good. It looks like the squirrel is disturbing the Britains chimps tea party.

The museum appears to have the same problem as we all have: not enough space.

pipsxlch wrote:

Very interesting! What was the black creature partially cut off in the Space Worm picture like?

thank you Kelly! I had a photo of it but it was all blurry so I deleted it. It looked like the Alien creature from the same movie