The Barker Character, Comic & Cartoon Museum (Cheshire, CT)

The Barker Character, Comic & Cartoon Museum (BCCCM) and Barker Animation Art Gallery are both located in Cheshire, CT and have recently been named one of the most underrated places in Connecticut!

Founded by lifelong collectors and enthusiasts Herb & Gloria Barker, the museum is filled with over 40 years of collecting. And with some items still needing cataloging, you’ll find the museum always evolving with each visit! So let’s take a quick look inside and be sure to stick around for the full video at the end of this article as well as the online photo gallery.

The adventure begins at the Art Gallery in order to gain access to the museum but you’re immediately greeted on the walkway by character cutouts and even a funhouse mirror! The Art Gallery does not require admission and has a lot of great pieces for sale, big & small. I’d recommend checking it out at the end of your visit and treat it as a gift shop!

Stepping into the actual museum is quite extraordinary because it’s like a giant time capsule of collectibles ranging from 1873 to today. And, believe it or not, the oldest toys still work!

The display cases are typically themed and numbered so that you can follow along with the brochure as you go.

Some of the many toys & collectibles you’ll discover throughout your visit include: Beanie Babies, Happy Meal Toys, Gumby, The Wizard Of Oz, and even an assortment of Pez Dispensers!

Over 80,000 pieces cover the museum’s two floors and you might even find yourself finding things you missed the first, second, or even third time circling around! I know I did!

And, of course, I was pleased to find a fantastic display of Star Wars & other sci-fi collectibles represented:

It’s remarkable how much the Barkers & their staff were able to fit into this building because it felt like every wall and corner was filled with something. So be sure to keep your eyes peeled when you visit, and see what else you can find at BCCCM in our photo gallery and the video below!

And besides the Art Gallery where you can buy a keepsake or two, there were several photo opportunities inside BCCCM like the giant Mickey & Minnie Mouse statues, a promotional couch display for The Simpsons Movie, Disney’s Wall-E, and a life-size Incredible Hulk!

So whether your thing is comic book superheros, Rocky & Bullwinkle, sports memorabilia (yes, they have that too!), or He-Man, The Barker Character, Comic & Cartoon Museum has a little piece of history for everyone! And for the super low admission price, it’s absolutely a fun stop for the whole family that’s full of eye candy.

The Barker Character, Comic & Cartoon Museum is open Wednesday through Saturday with an admission fee of $5 for adults 18+ and $3 for children 4-17 (toddlers 3 & under are free!). And the Art Gallery is always free to visit!

Additional galleries are open in Foxwoods Resort & Casino (Mashantucket, CT) and The Promenade at Coconut Creek (Coconut Creek, FL). Check out their pages for other information and announcements.