FENNIMORE, Wis. — The Fennimore Doll and Toy Museum has been a staple in southwest Wisconsin since 1991.
It’s operated by the nonprofit, Friends of the Fennimore Doll and Toy Museum, through volunteer help and donations. Connie Neal has been the museum’s curator since 2001.
She not only guides tours through the exhibits, but she also restores the items.
“Think about being pushed over to the side and crumpled,” she said. “With a little loving care, ‘hey, I’ve come back to life and I’m pretty again!’”“Think about being pushed over to the side and crumpled,” she said. “With a little loving care, ‘hey, I’ve come back to life and I’m pretty again!’”
Neal said she has always had a passion for history. In her own home, she works to preserve the memories within each historic item.
“I love history, the history of actual people and growing up,” she said. “I just think memories are so neat.”
Neal irons, cleans and sews whatever needs to be repaired.
“OxiClean works really well for that,” Neal said, as she washed an old doll’s dress in her basement sink. “It looks so much better and it’s getting its personality back.”
That’s what Neal said makes her the happiest.
“They have personalities and the personality comes out when you give them some loving care,” she said.
The Fennimore Doll and Toy Museum features dozens of exhibits with dolls and toys that range from creation in the mid-1800s through the 2000s.
Neal pointed to one French doll that has traveled across South America.
“She made it into the mountains of Columbia,” she said.
Heirlooms are owned by, or on loan to the museum. Those include an exclusive cast iron soldier collection and 736 Barbie dolls in custom-made attire.
One of the glass cases contains memorabilia from the movie “Toy Story.”
“It’s donated by a gentleman from Pixar,” Neal said. “He’s an animator for them.”
Nearly every part of the country is represented inside the building at Fennimore.
Neal hopes those who visit appreciate the history of these items as much as she does.
“I love working here,” she said. “I really do.”
The Fennimore Doll and Toy Museum is open Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It’s also open on Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
