The Largest Collection of This Popular Toy Can Be Found in MT

Long before the days of phones, tablets, and other electronic devices, children used to go outside and play in the dirt. I know that may come as a surprise to the younger generation, but it actually happened.

I consider myself fortunate to have been born before technology controlled our daily lives. I remember playing baseball in an old abandoned field near where I grew up, and I remember all of the neighborhood kids getting together for a game of basketball on the dead-end street I lived on. Unfortunately, a lot has changed since those days.

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One of my favorite childhood toys was my small collection of Tonka trucks. I would play in the sandbox for hours just scooping dirt into my dump truck with my front-end loader and dumping it in a pile somewhere else. It may sound simple, but I still cherish those memories. With that being said, I was excited to learn that a museum in Montana holds one of the largest collections of Tonka trucks in the world.

Montana Museum Has Huge Collection on Tonka Toys

The Winifred Museum in Winifred, Montana is home to one of the largest collections of Tonka Toys in the entire world.

If you're still a child at heart, you'll be happy to know that over 3,000 Tonka Trucks are featured in the collection at the Winifred Museum. Many of them are still in their original boxes.

If you're looking for a great reason to go on a road trip with your family, plan a trip to the Winifred Museum. The town of Winifred has a population of around 200 people and is about 200 miles northeast of Bozeman. It's about a 3.5-hour drive.

If you have children, the museum has a bunch of Tonka toys that aren't included in the collection that can be played with. If you decide to plan a trip to the Winifred Museum, you'll find the museum is one of the only things in town other than the people that live there. Within the museum, you find historical artifacts, and other items pertaining to the history of the area. You'll also find one of the largest known collections of Tonka Trucks in one place. Admission is free, but donations are greatly appreciated.

The Winifred Museum is a community-funded museum that relies on the generosity of visitors and patrons to display its treasures to the public. The museum is opening yearly from June 1 - August 31. For questions, call (406) 462-5425.