Visit the Colmar Toy Museum – We tested it with our family!

My Thoughts on the Colmar Toy Museum

What can you see at the Musée du Jouet in Colmar?

The Colmar Toy Museum regularly updates its displays and showcases more than 1,000 toys along a tour route spread across three floors.

The windows are organized by theme or by era, with toys from all over the world that belonged to different generations of children: this makes the visit very fun. The interest, whether you are a child or an adult, is to explore the world of our parents’ and grandparents’ toys, and even further back!

It’s really nice to talk with the kids about our childhood toys and to go back to them with stars in our eyes. Here, they can realize that some toys still exist today: Meccano, board games such as Cluedo, Barbie, Lego, Playmobil… Even if, in terms of technology, it is totally different!

At the Toy Museum, there is also a large play area accessible to the whole family, a puppet show several times a day and a temporary exhibition whose theme changes every year.

Local tip: If you’re visiting with very young children, be sure to set aside some time for the large play area on the ground floor—that’s often where they spend most of their time!

On the first floor, games area, vehicles, construction games and robots

First step on the first floor of the Toy Museum: a large hall welcomes us. Here already, the showcases are filled with many treasures: exhibitions of miniature cars and toys, which reminds me of the collection of the Cité de l’Automobile in Mulhouse, automatons and robots, a huge Playmobil model, construction games and even miniature steam engines!

In the center of the hall, a large space with games awaits us: on the side, a relaxation area with Kappla and, in the center, many wooden games. Some are very well known like Power 4 or checkers and others, less, like puzzles or a kind of Tetris. This is one of the interests of the museum: to discover games that we do not know. In fact, we could spend an hour testing everything!

Local tip: The wooden toys in the center of the hall let you try them out before you buy—a great gift idea to keep in mind.

On the 1st floor, puppet show, old toys by period and dolls world

At this level of the Toy Museum, there are still many display cases with lots of stories and memories to tell! This is where you can find the toys by period, 50s and 80s. What’s really fun is to come across our toys and technology from our childhood and proudly show them to the kids – Minitel, Goldorak – and even better, toys that, although updated, still exist today – Playmobils, Barbies… And even for the 50’s showcase: Meccano or Cluedo! At fixed hours, a small puppet show animates the museum.

Local tip: The puppet show takes place at set times several times a day; be sure to ask at the front desk as soon as you arrive so you don’t miss it.

In the display cases on this floor, you step into the world of dolls, with all kinds of tea sets, miniature sewing machines, and even the dolls themselves. We start with the oldest porcelain dolls and move on to plastic ones, not forgetting Barbie, of course, with some truly beautiful limited editions (Christian Dior, for example) and even MY Barbie Mermaid, which I was given when I was the same age as my little girl?

The railway models on the 2nd floor

Here, one contorts in all directions to see the details of the railway models that are spread out over the entire second floor, which are a real curiosity of the museum. It’s nice to see the miniature trains that you can see in life size at the Cité du Train in Mulhouse: the Pullman cars of the famous Orient Express and their locomotive “La Flèche d’Or” or the Micheline that took the French on vacation when the first paid vacations! We like to watch all the details of these cities and villages reconstituted with their small playlets, sometimes hilarious. You didn’t know that modelers had a sense of humor yet?

Local tip: Take the time to look for the little hidden scenes in the dioramas—some of them are really funny once you spot them!

Temporary Exhibitions at the Colmar Toy Museum

Temporary exhibitions are regularly held at the Toy Museum on a variety of themes, with new exhibits each year. This means you can (re)discover a new facet of the world of toys with every visit!

Local tip: The theme changes every year, so be sure to check the museum’s website for the current exhibition before your visit.

Key Facts About the Colmar Toy Museum

• A museum that appeals to both children and nostalgic parents, with more than 1,000 toys spread across three floors
• Allow about 1 hour and 30 minutes for a full tour
• Admission is included in the Alsace Pass, which is a real bonus if you’re planning to visit several attractions in a row
• Accessible to people with limited mobility via an elevator

Want to make the day last a little longer? Head over to Choco Story, the nearby chocolate museum, to combine toys and treats!

Frequently Asked Questions About the Colmar Toy Museum