The Antique Toy Museum

The Antique Toy Museum, the Museo del Juguete Antiguo México (MUJAM), is easily one of the most fun museums anywhere in the city. Not many people remember what happened to their toys by the time they turn 12 years old. This collection goes back through some 150 years of toys, games, dolls, pastimes and amusements.

Opened in 2008, the museum collection resulted from the merger of two shops. The Dulcería Avenida was a candy store next to “La Primavera” stationery store. While the two operated for some 70 years on what had been known as the Avenida Niño Perdido, today it’s part of Eje Central, the central Lázaro Cárdenas Avenue. Both shops sold some toys primarily between Christmas and the Feast of the Three Wise Men in early January.

Today, the collection is as a major repository of Mexican popular culture. Most of it culled over some 55 years of collecting from tianguis, flea markets and antiques fairs.

The building on calle Dr. Olvera # 15, is a half-block from Eje Central, and used to be a funky apartment building. It’s not difficult to imagine the papelería and the candy store downstairs.

It’s just north of Metro Obrera on the 8 Line of the Metro.

The museum offers free guided tours of about 90 minutes in length. These can be important as the museum offering can appear overwhelming in its depth and breadth. Tours are intended to encourage observation, description, and active participation.

The hours for the guided tours are from Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.