Route 66 travelers will not want to miss a fun little place smack dab in a hidden gem downtown space: the Bristow Route 66 Toy Museum. Run by toy enthusiast Bret Fadely and his trusty front-door greeter, the green Sinclair dinosaur, the museum claims to be “Bristow’s Largest Toy Museum.” This is most likely an accurate assessment.
Walking through the museum is a fun way to look back at childhood whimsy, whether that childhood occurred during the ’50s, ’60s, ’70s or ’80s. This space is definitely a museum in the truest sense of the word, as today’s kids won’t find their current toys stacked on the shelves. But for those of us who were playing with goodies before the end of the last century, there are hundreds of unique things to find and explore.
A half-scale dragster is probably the first thing to grab the eye, and the pedal car display is popular with visitors, says Fadely. Some of the pedal cars were rescued from a ride at the now-defunct Bell’s Amusement Park in Tulsa for an extra blast from the past. Many of the displays belie Fadely’s claim to favoring planes, trains and automobiles, but there is truly something for everybody.
Whether visitors are into Batman and Robin, G.I. Joes, Transformers, stuffed animals, dolls or even the infamous California Raisins, items abound that will catch anyone’s eye and usher in memories of playtimes past.
One special toy that has recently been given pride of place is Fadely’s stuffed dog, Oscar, a Christmas present from his parents in the mid-’60s. When pressed to declare a favorite, Oscar is it for the toy museum owner.
“Most of my life, I have collected toys and have always wanted to share them with others instead of having them stacked in boxes in the garage,” says Fadely about the museum’s origins. He relates how he looked for a place to display his collection and make it available to others for several years. Then, some friends of his were retiring and, “the next thing you know, we are buying a building in Bristow on Main Street,” he says.
Today, the museum is a labor of love for Fadely. He is there as often as possible, curating his collection and welcoming visitors. And he’s always ready to swap stories about toys with anyone.
“Every day I am there, there is some sort of cool experience,” he says. His favorite times are when museum-goers stop for a chat about some of the toys in his collection and the positive memories they elicit.
Currently, there’s no set open schedule, though most Fridays and Saturdays visitors can find the doors open. Check the museum’s Facebook page for the most up-to-date opening information.
Admission is free, and Fadely plans to be open more often soon. He is the first to admit that his museum is a work in progress, so the collection changes and grows regularly. Donations of both funds and toys are welcome, but not required.
Dino, the Sinclair dinosaur, stands ready to greet any toy enthusiast or simple nostalgia seeker who heads to Bristow.
