The Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum was founded in 1995 by George
and Arlene Wagner who donated their huge nutcracker collection
and the building in which it is housed. The museum became a
non-profit 501(c)3 corporation and since then many others have donated
nutcrackers. Now it contains over 9000 specimens and it's
considered to be
the world's largest collection of nut-opening devices.
The museum contains not only the ever popular wooden toy soldier
type so often seen at Christmas, but many shelves of antiques
dating back to roman times. Nutcrackers are shown in many
different woods and metals, ivory and man-made materials.
Nutting stones are also shown from the archaic period--four to
eight thousand years old.
