Dog Collectibles Museum, Waco, Texas

Just north of Waco, Texas (located in the very center of the Lone Star State) in the Antiquibles Antique Mall lies what’s billed as the world’s largest dog collectibles museum. (The sign says “America’s largest” but indoors the museum proudly proclaims “world’s largest”…and it very well might be.) With over 7,000 items on display, this Texas-sized collection includes all things canine: dog salt and pepper shakers, dog inkwells, dog buttons, dog figurines, and more.

We recently visited the museum and spotted items we’d never seen (and we had quite a few “I remember those!” moments as well). The museum is free of charge and located in the Antiquibles Antique Mall about four miles north of Waco on I-35. The collection began with the private collection of Barbara and David Hays who collected dog items on their travels; it later expanded and included the collection of Julia Speegle Hall, the aunt of director Ron Howard.

The collection includes everything from toys from the Sixties to a rare 1700s gun stock with a carved dog head plus plenty of examples of dogs in advertising, dogs in popular culture and more. When you’re finished with the museum, have a look around the antiques mall, too; we found that several booths sell dog collectibles.

Slideshow

Related posts:

1. Slideshow: Barktoberfest, Round Rock, Texas
2. War Dogs Program, Fredericksburg, TX, July 25, 2009
3. Mighty Texas Dog Walk Planned for Austin
4. Photos from Weiner Dog Races, Buda, Texas
5. Picnic with Your Pooch, Georgetown, Texas