Spent a few hours today at the Hayward Toy Museum, getting a personal tour from the proprietor, Bruce, who pointed out all sorts of fascinating little details. If you're ever in or around Hayward with some time to kill, totally worth it. haywardtoymuseum.com Hayward Toy Museum - Hayward T...
A few minutes later, he came and unlocked the museum for us and then told us to look around, but then just started telling us amazing stories about tons of stuff in the museum. It has a ton of pez dispensers (mostly from another local museum that shut down). But Bruce's passion are old coin banks. https://oyster.us-east.host.bsky.network/xrpc/com.atproto.sync.getBlob?did=did:plc:cak4klqoj3bqgk5rj6b4f5do&cid=bafkreiboxc6dggb3oimcq4ub2nd3mg5q5dbdzncmf3rhpkdiful7fupfhi https://oyster.us-east.host.bsky.network/xrpc/com.atproto.sync.getBlob?did=did:plc:cak4klqoj3bqgk5rj6b4f5do&cid=bafkreie6kjiufztv6fksb64vcdws7zrwo53zc2necn4mdg2jg72c6f3qp4 https://oyster.us-east.host.bsky.network/xrpc/com.atproto.sync.getBlob?did=did:plc:cak4klqoj3bqgk5rj6b4f5do&cid=bafkreigj2kuahzkpf7hc7lojxlgsleqd6wyalu6cvrplnb37jczx2nzrae https://oyster.us-east.host.bsky.network/xrpc/com.atproto.sync.getBlob?did=did:plc:cak4klqoj3bqgk5rj6b4f5do&cid=bafkreiea4oxokphqz7mmibpcsupj3adqlajloxfpxcwuk42botbe46ptoe
He says he doesn't do any advertising, and relies on word of mouth for people to find out about it. If you're in the area, it's totally worth going to (especially if you have reciprocal museum membership as we did, making it free for us. But even if you have to pay, it seemed reasonable).
There are also some cool early electronics, including a Seiko "TV watch" and a watch "computer." https://oyster.us-east.host.bsky.network/xrpc/com.atproto.sync.getBlob?did=did:plc:cak4klqoj3bqgk5rj6b4f5do&cid=bafkreicobe4n2vikgog7lgw63mdugtzjpuxtmy24ffm2kdcj5ysnpqaj7y https://oyster.us-east.host.bsky.network/xrpc/com.atproto.sync.getBlob?did=did:plc:cak4klqoj3bqgk5rj6b4f5do&cid=bafkreihzjkuw5wneph7evccxx2fhelcrpoglk6poiafzcyhkskfyqclyca
He also has a ton of "banned toys" (including the Atomic Energy Lab! Gas powered pogo stick!) and he loves telling the history of them. And he's a big fan of toys that because super popular. He has an original Mr. Potato Head, an original Barbie doll and more. https://oyster.us-east.host.bsky.network/xrpc/com.atproto.sync.getBlob?did=did:plc:cak4klqoj3bqgk5rj6b4f5do&cid=bafkreifgdb7dg6grwz6cesxpwyhjatskbayldemqrk53rkav5udiphqvr4 https://oyster.us-east.host.bsky.network/xrpc/com.atproto.sync.getBlob?did=did:plc:cak4klqoj3bqgk5rj6b4f5do&cid=bafkreic4xavqngefjxkizaah4doitvnjkjlinmsju66w3llvnrskpoc6fy https://oyster.us-east.host.bsky.network/xrpc/com.atproto.sync.getBlob?did=did:plc:cak4klqoj3bqgk5rj6b4f5do&cid=bafkreiahy6mhhgfsksu4yd5mw2f5umregkvn4hzh4gkiztzwdwhqkfv3ja https://oyster.us-east.host.bsky.network/xrpc/com.atproto.sync.getBlob?did=did:plc:cak4klqoj3bqgk5rj6b4f5do&cid=bafkreifly7xh326xyn44jvkxlxjnuta3nove5hu443ggoslcqije2zjfdm
When you drive up, the first thing you see are many giant fiberglass sculptures, which is another one of Bruce's business (repairing and making such things). https://oyster.us-east.host.bsky.network/xrpc/com.atproto.sync.getBlob?did=did:plc:cak4klqoj3bqgk5rj6b4f5do&cid=bafkreifsxzazav5xitrg2xhj3vpqmvclsfiyvk2i7ueaujjtkmc5i7pg7q https://oyster.us-east.host.bsky.network/xrpc/com.atproto.sync.getBlob?did=did:plc:cak4klqoj3bqgk5rj6b4f5do&cid=bafkreicvhrtqeajjo2lo52ixbo7z3rnqlrquizivsiskaonozbid4sj5du https://oyster.us-east.host.bsky.network/xrpc/com.atproto.sync.getBlob?did=did:plc:cak4klqoj3bqgk5rj6b4f5do&cid=bafkreieeiiukwhyccz2xmijcbspaoaaavt4y5dcy7dp7w342lxecsqmrgu