Burlingame Museum of Pez Memorabilia facts for kids
The Burlingame Museum of Pez Memorabilia was a special place in Burlingame, California. It opened in 1995. This museum was all about Pez dispensers, those fun little candy holders with character heads!
Gary and Nancy Doss started the museum. They had been collecting Pez dispensers for over ten years. Before the museum, they owned a computer store. They put some of their Pez collection on display there. Soon, they noticed something interesting: customers cared more about the Pez dispensers than the computers! That's how the idea for a museum was born.
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A World of Pez Dispensers
The museum was famous for its huge collection. It claimed to have an example of every Pez dispenser ever made. Imagine seeing all those different characters!
Special Pez Dispensers
Some of the Pez dispensers were extra special. For example, there was a Wonder Woman dispenser. It was signed by Lynda Carter, the actress who played Wonder Woman on TV. There was also a Garfield dispenser. This one was signed by Jim Davis, who created the Garfield comic strip.
More Than Just Pez
In 2004, the museum grew even bigger. It added two new sections for visitors to explore.
The Classic Toy Museum
This part of the museum showed off many well-known toys. It was like a trip back in time to see toys your parents or grandparents might have played with. Some of the toys on display included:
- Tinker Toys
- Erector Sets
- Lincoln Logs
- Mr. Potato Head
- View-Masters
- Colorforms
- Lego
- Playdough
- Slinkys
The Banned Toys Museum
This unique section featured toys that were taken off the market. These toys were recalled or banned for different reasons. Sometimes, it was because of safety concerns. Other times, it was because the toy was not considered appropriate. It was a fascinating look at how toys can change over time.
Museum Closure
Sadly, the Burlingame Museum of Pez Memorabilia closed its doors for good in July 2019. Even though it's closed, it remains a memorable part of toy history.
