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The National Farm Toy Museum On-Line

By Jason Hasert

The National Farm Toy Museum has launched a new website at www.nationalfarmtoymuseum.com. The new site offers information on the museum, interactive farm toy activities and news on upcoming events.

The Farm Toy Museum, located amongst the scenic bluffs and countryside of eastern Iowa, has been home to over 30,000 farm toys and collectibles since 1986. The idea of a farm toy museum came from the growing awareness of the farm toy hobby through passionate and enthusiastic collectors, and the demand for additional space to house the National Farm Toy Show. Taking note of these two elements Dave Bell, then of the ERTL Company, and Claire Scheibe, founder and past president of the Toy Farmer Ltd. met with the Dyersville Industries, Inc. (DII) Board of Directors to propose the National Farm Toy Museum.

Set Of National Farm Toy Museum Cockshutts in the June/July 1987 Ertl Replica Magazine

As was expected, the DII Board did not immediately accept the idea of building a museum. One major concern of the Directors focused on was the expense to construct the facility. To help defray the costs a fund raising campaign was put together that included introducing and selling a series of collector tractors. The first series was a line of vintage Cockshutt tractors. The series consisted of a three-tractor set that was produced from 1986 thru 1990. Those who purchased the first set are acknowledged on the Founding Collectors board located in the entrance of the museum.

The result of the fund raising campaign and the sales of the Cockshutt series tractor sales was the National Farm Toy Museum. In November of 1986, the museum was partially finished so that it could be used as additional space for the National Farm Toy Show.

Left - First Ertl Tractor

Right - Exhibit on Scaling Tractors From the Real Thing

The National Farm Toy Museum has an average of 40,000 visitors a year. It houses one of the finest collections of toy tractors in the world. There is more than just shelves of model farm equipment, visitors can learn the history of the farm toy hobby through an informative video, there are displays featuring the history of farming through toys, an exhibit on the toy making process, toy maker highlights and plenty of interesting one of a kind models. Below is a sample of the exciting farm toys on display at the museum.

If you are thinking about visiting the museum or it is just too far away to visit in person you can take a virtual tour on the website at www.nationalfarmtoymuseum.com/VirtualTour.asp

How Ertl Builds a Toy Tractor

Model Farm Displays Showing Farming Through The Decades

Don Campbells Lennco Potato Planter

1/16 Scratch Built Allis-Chalmers Gleaner N-7 part of the Harvesting History Display

Model of 1967 John Deere Sound-Gard Prototype

Complete Set of Toy Tractor Times Tractors

Anne Reitzler the National Farm Toy Museum and Events Manager talked to The Toy Tractor Times about the Museum and its new website. The goal of the Museum to to reach out to collectors through the web and through exhibits and events..

The new website (www.nationalfarmtoymuseum.com) offers collectors information, an on-line store to buy Museum sponsored collectors tractors, a kids zone, virtual tour, farm toy industry news and a message board. Anne said that the Museum has liked what www.toytractorshow.com has done for collectors on the web and wanted to give a similar experience to its on-line visitors.

The website was designed to attract visitors to come to Dyersville, Iowa. If you have been thinking about going to Dyersville but have not been sure what is there the new website gives you a good look at the exciting things you will see. Anne is looking forward to 2005 when the Museum will unveil a new Ertl Company History Display. This new exhibit at the Museum will Fred Ertl's early years in building the first sand cast Ertl tractors, the materials Ertl has used over the years to produce its replicas, farm toy history and other tid bits. Fred Ertl II has been very involved in helping set up the new history area. A second exhibit on the history of farm toy packaging is also in the works.

Another new idea that the Museum is a kids day camp during the National Farm Toy Show. Children will tour the Museum and take a class on building a 1/64 model farm

There is plenty to see and do at the National Farm Toy Museum. If you are heading to Iowa make sure to stop in and see it. The Toy Tractor Times will be set up in the Museum during the 2004 National so stop by and say hello.

You can become a member of the National Farm Toy Museum. Memberships help support the history of farm toys and collecting for the hobby and future collectors. If you are interested in a membership the different levels are posted in this article.

You can contact the Museum at:

National Farm Toy Museum
1110 16th Ave. Ct. SE
Dyersville, Iowa 52040
USA
(563) 875-2727
farmtoys@dyersville.com

Friends of the National Farm Toy Museum
2004 Membership Campaign
Annual Dues	Giving Levels & Benefits
$25	Level One: Individual
	- Free Newsletter from the National Farm Toy Museum (bi-annual)
	- Access to the Members Only Area of Website
	- 2 Free Adult Admission Passes to the Museum
	- Collectible Museum Souvenir
	- 10% Member Discount on purchases in the Museum Store

$50	Level Two: Family
	- Free Newsletter from the National Farm Toy Museum (bi-annual)
	- Access to the Members Only Area of Website
	- 4 Free Adult Admission Passes to the Museum
	- Collectible Museum Souvenir
	- 10% Member Discount on purchases in the Museum Store
	- Access to the "Kids Only" Area of the Website
	- FREE Johnny Tractor Children's Video
	- 1/64th scale Museum Annual Commemorative Tractor (Member's orders will be processed as a priority and will be shipped out earlier than other orders. Shipping is included when purchasing a tractor through the Museum's Membership Program.)

$100	Level Three: Enthusiast
	- Free Newsletter from the National Farm Toy Museum (bi-annual)
	- Access to the Members Only Area of Website
	- 6 Free Adult Admission Passes to the Museum
	- Collectible Museum Souvenir
	- 10% Member Discount on purchases in the Museum Store
	- Access to the "Kids Only" Area of the Website
	- Complimentary video/book highlighting the toy collecting hobby
	- 1/64th scale Museum Annual Commemorative Tractor (includes shipping)
	- 1/16th scale Museum Annual Commemorative Tractor (includes shipping)
	- 2 FREE passes to the Summer Farm Toy Show

$150	Level Four: Collector
	- Free Newsletter from the National Farm Toy Museum (bi-annual)
	- Access to the Members Only Area of Website
	- 8 Free Adult Admission Passes to the Museum
	- Collectible Museum Souvenir
	- 10% Member Discount on purchases in the Museum Store
	- Access to the "Kids Only" Area of the Website
	- Complimentary video/book highlighting the toy collecting hobby
	- 1/64th scale Museum Annual Commemorative Tractor (Member's orders will be processed as a priority and will be shipped out earlier than other orders. Shipping is included when purchasing a tractor through the Museum's Membership Program.)
	- 1/16th scale Museum Annual Commemorative Tractor (Member's orders will be processed as a priority and will be shipped out earlier than other orders. Shipping is included when purchasing a tractor through the Museum's Membership Program.)
	- 2 FREE Floor Rights tickets to the Summer Farm Toy Show
	- 2 FREE General Admission tickets to the National Farm Toy Show
	- $20 in Dyersville Dollars to spend during a visit to Dyersville