Nutcracker
Museum
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PET POLICY
Our furry family members that are able to be carried at all times may come into the museum and the store.
"Certified Service Dogs are always welcome."
The museum opened its doors in 1995 as a private showing of the immense nutcracker collection of George and Arlene Wagner, and soon after that a Washington State non-profit corporation was formed.
HISTORY OF THE
MUSEUM:
The museum opened its doors in1995 as a private
showing of the immense nutcracker collection of Arlene and George Wagner.
They wanted others to share the enjoyment that nutcrackers can bring.
In
2006, The Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum received IRS 501(c)3 non-profit
status with the donation of the Wagner’s nutcracker collection and ownership
of the entire building in which it was housed. Since this time, many
collectors who were searching for a permanent home for their treasured
nutcrackers, have donated them to the museum for others to enjoy. This has
contributed in making this one of the largest collection of nut cracking
devices in the world.
The museum shows the ingenuity of man in doing
the simple task of opening a nutshell, and shows the development of the
nutcracker over thousands of years, from the nutting stone of the world’s
early inhabitants to the ever popular wooden toy soldier nutcracker of
today. There has been no other collectible or tool created that has shown
such a wide diversity of materials, design, or mechanism.
FUNDING FOR THE
MUSEUM:
Rental space in the building, museum entry fees
and the small gift shop provide for the upkeep of the building, the general
maintenance of the museum, salaries, insurance, and additional specimens for
display in the museum. The museum’s small gift shop brings in additional
revenue. Many of the items being sold have been donated by people downsizing
their collections or from families of deceased collectors. When nutcrackers
are donated, those not used for museum displays are sold in the gift shop
with proceeds to help support the museum. Tax deductible forms are provided
for large donations.
The museum has received monetary gifts from
individuals and several grants from civic and governmental bodies which have
been greatly appreciated.
Open Daily 11-5
We suggest visitors arrive at least 30 minutes before closing.
"To foster and encourage the interest of the general public of the importance of nuts in the diets of humans throughout history and in the evolution of the nutcracker. No other tool or collectible has shown such a wide diversity of material and design as the implements used to crack the hard shell of a nut".
