ABOUT
The Museum
The Changnon Family Museum of Toys and Collectibles preserves, acquires, educates and inspires children of all ages through the collection generously on loan by the Changnon family.
Welcome to The Changnon Family Museum of Toys and Collectibles. A new and virtual museum, launched in 2021, showcasing the incredible collection of toys and collectibles from the Changnon family. With over 5,000 objects, we are grateful that the family has chosen us to showcase these artifacts to the public for the first time.
As you wander through this virtual museum, you will be able to explore a variety of objects and how these simple things have made an impact on our everyday lives. Each year, we will introduce a new exhibit from this collection, alternating between toys and collectibles.
We invite you to view our inaugural exhibit, American Girl: 35 Years of Strong Characters, which showcases Blake Changnon’s extensive American Girl collection and celebrates the toy company’s 35th anniversary of creating strong, courageous and heroic characters living and growing up in different times in America’s history.
Our second exhibit (and the first to highlight our collectibles), Childhood Nostalgia: A Collection of Pleasant Company and American Girl Catalogues, showcases Blake Changnon’s extensive collection of catalogues from the renowned toy company.
Our third exhibit, Addy Walker: Why She Matters, launched in 2023 and celebrates the 30th anniversary of Addy’s debut in 1993. This exhibit showcases a near-complete collection of Addy and her playthings. Guests can relive their childhood through Addy’s collection, explore articles and programs about Addy and her creation, and share their favorite memories. The second part of this exhibit launched in 2024.
Our fourth exhibit and first in-person pop-up, Back to School with American Girl, launched in 2025 and spotlights the beloved American Girl historical characters and their “school story” collections. Each display highlights how the first seven original historical characters experienced school during their distinct eras, offering a glimpse into American history through the lens of childhood education. Due to popular demand, we will share this exhibit on our website later next year.
We look forward to showcasing more of this fantastic collection in the years to come.
Staff
Blake Changnon, President, CEO and Founder
Blake Changnon is the president, CEO and founder of The Changnon Family Museum of Toys and Collectibles. In his role, Blake oversees the museum's day-to-day operations, including acquisitions, research and programming. His interests include American Girl, Disney, dolls, toys, action figures and more.
Blake is a marketing and communications professional with more than eight years of experience in corporate, media, government and nonprofit. He currently oversees external talent acquisition and DEI marketing and communications for a company in the greater Washington D.C. area.
Learn more about Blake, his story and his passion for American Girl by reading his recent blog.