Nostalgia Station Toy Museum

Housed in a restored passenger train station dating back to 1911, this museum is bursting with antique model trains and vintage toys.

When he was only 2 years old, Winfrey Atkins's dad got him his first train, and that was all it took. From then on, Winfrey has had tunnel vision when it comes to trains. He is an avid collector and spent many hours at yard sales, flea markets, auctions, and online finding the treasures displayed in the museum. Atkins lived close to the building and immediately jumped at the chance to purchase the building. He and his wife have made the Nostalgia Station Toy Museum a fun place to visit since 1987. Winfrey Atkins mentioned that when he was growing up, kids didn't have computers, phones, and Ipads, so toys like the trains he enjoys, along with many other toys displayed in the museum, were more commonplace.

Located in the former passenger waiting room, the museum's centerpiece is a dealer display from 1956. The 8 X 8 exhibit is a full train set initially displayed at a department store in downtown Lexington, Kentucky. As visitors come through the front door, they enter into a gift shop/store where Lionel train sets, accessories, antiques, and many other toys are for sale. 

The display cases are full of treasures that a model train enthusiast would fully appreciate, but anyone that visits will be impressed. Things that you will see include a missile launcher car from the cold war era, a Walt Disney Mickey Mouse express (which is very rare), a pink & purple Lionel train marketed to girls, wind-up trains from the 1880s, and some trains that run on batteries. There is a display with other antique and vintage toys as well. The Nostalgia Station Toy and Train Museum is open Wednesday - Saturday from 10 am - 5 pm.