Barker Character, Comic and Cartoon Museum

Cheshire, Conn. (WTNH) - Over 80,000 items from 40 years of collecting are on the walls and on display at the Barker Character, Comic and Cartoon Museum.

"We hear a lot of 'WOW'," says museum curator Judy Fuerst. "Some people scream."

The Barker Character, Comic and Cartoon Museum is home to one of the largest toy collections in the country.

"When families come here the grandparents tell the grandchildren what they used to play with, kids talk about their favorite characters," Fuerst said.

From a bigger than life Hulk to Buzz and Woody, and the good old boys from the Dukes of Hazzard, there are aisles filled with every toy you can imagine. There are lunchboxes up there under the ceiling and an elephant dating back to 1873.

Fuerst says it all started with owner Herbert Barker finding an original drawing of Mickey Mouse.

"He started looking for more. He didn't find too many of those but he started finding Mickey Mouse toys, tin toys, wind-ups, things from the 30s, 40s and 50s. So that got him into collecting cartoon toys."

He does have a favorite.

"Popeye is Mr B's favorite because Mr. Barker and Popeye were both born January of 1929, five days apart, so they are kind of fraternal twins."

Wife Gloria Barker wanted to display these treasures in a way to bring people closer together and did so in 1997 by opening this museum.

"She likes people to communicate with each other and have an interest," Fuerst said. "If you have a hobby you don't get into trouble."

The trouble may be trying to see everything in here and outside too.

The museum is open Wednesday through Saturday, 12:00 to 4:00. For more information visit barkermuseum.com