This place really toys with your emotions. It’s also the center of action (figures) in Astoria.
The Museum of Nostalgia is open for oohing and aahing at 31-27 31st St.
It’s part store, part exhibition, part stroll down Memory Lane, and part fantasyland.
Head there for everything from Cabbage Patch Kids to Raggedy Ann dolls to Barbies with a fair share of Peanuts characters, board games, and lunchboxes.
Admission is free, and the owners – married couple Jeff Zappala and Phebe Tayor – are happy to sell, buy, and trade. (They accept donated items, too.) Plus, the venue can be rented for photo shoots, and some of the arcade games in the back might still take quarters.
And for those who can’t make it to the brick-and-mortar, the museum has an eBay site to bid for items online.
Taylor, who favors Masters of the Universe merchandise, and Zappala, a Transformers guy, have loved toys all their lives. So this is a family business and the fulfillment of two childhood dreams. (And maybe the childhood dreams of many visitors as well.)
Museum of Nostalgia is usually open from noon to 7 pm on every day except Wednesday, but the schedule fluctuates. Check the instagram page for weekly schedule updates or contact Phebe and Jeff via 718.489.9906 or [email protected].
Images: Museum of Nostalgia