If you’re ever looking for an inexpensive trip down memory lane, visit the Barker Character, Comic & Cartoon Museum in Cheshire, CT.

Here you will find nostalgic toys and cartoon items dating back to 1873. Even if the younger set gets sick of hearing you exclaim “ooh, I remember that when I was a kid!”, they will still get a kick out of seeing characters who are still familiar today.

Aside from all the great memorabilia, the price of admission can’t be beat:

Kids under 3 are free

3-18 – $3.00

Students with ID – $4.00

adults 19-64- $5.00

seniors 65 and up – $4.00

Start your visit in the Barker Animation Art Gallery (which is where you pay admission) and admire the many works of cartoon and character art for sale. Be sure to get your picture taken with one of the many life-sized character cut-outs found on the outside grounds of the museum. Then enjoy the interior of the museum itself and get ready for flashbacks of a lifetime. There will be many. Even the TV theme songs that are playing as you browse the many bits of your childhood will make you feel nostalgic.

My husband and I reminisced about school lunches when we saw the collection of lunchboxes hanging overhead. Just so you know, they are hanging alphabetically from the end of the alphabet to the beginning of the alphabet (those are upstairs). So I didn’t get to see my “Little House on the Prairie” lunchbox. And I failed to get a pic of the Donnie Osmond doll that I used to have when I was a kid. Oh well!

This collection is so extensive, there is an upstairs section as well. On our visit, we didn’t get a chance to get upstairs due to being so overwhelmed by the downstairs.

NOTE: the main museum and even the art gallery are very tight quarters. It is unknown if there are any handicapped ramps on the premises. I did not visibly see any, nor do I believe there is an elevator to the second level of the museum. If you wish to visit and have a question about accessibility, it may be best to call ahead.

This museum does have something for everyone, even the younger generation. It’s great especially if they appreciate older-style cartoons and characters, such as my teen-age daughter does. She was ecstatic to see Fraggles there, along with many other Jim Henson characters, as they are her favorites.

Enjoy the pics!