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A visit to the fantastically weird Antique Toy Museum

A sole collector in Mexico City has created one of the most amazing toy museums in the world. Come take a look.

Óscar Gutiérrez
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1 of 27 Óscar Gutiérrez/CNET

Antique Toy Museum in Mexico City

MUJAM, the Museo del Juguete Antiguo de Mexico, in Mexico City is home to one of the most bizarre toy collections in the world.

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2 of 27 Óscar Gutiérrez/CNET

Antique Toy Museum in Mexico City

The museum, which opened about a decade ago, houses the collection of Roberto Shimizu, the son of Japanese immigrants began collecting toys as a child.

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3 of 27 Óscar Gutiérrez/CNET

Antique Toy Museum in Mexico City

Gorgeous murals cover almost every external and interior wall of the museum.

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Antique Toy Museum in Mexico City

Well-known international graffiti artists were commissioned to create some of the murals.

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Antique Toy Museum in Mexico City

One constant on the museum shelves: toys and iconography inspired by lucha libre, a style of professional wrestling characterized by colorful masks and capes.

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Antique Toy Museum in Mexico City

Even the doorbell has a luchador mask.

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Antique Toy Museum in Mexico City

The collection includes everything from tin toys to Barbies.

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Antique Toy Museum in Mexico City

A full-size tin car.

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Antique Toy Museum in Mexico City

The museum is the perfect place to clown around.

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Antique Toy Museum in Mexico City

Recently, the museum launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund better curation and maintenance of its collection and building. The campaign failed, but the museum plans to launch another one soon.

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Antique Toy Museum in Mexico City

If you grew up anywhere in Latin America -- or watching Galavision in the US -- you know characters like El Chapulin Colorado, which got its own lunchbox.

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Antique Toy Museum in Mexico City

A more familiar collection of Matchbox cars.

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Antique Toy Museum in Mexico City

Some of the exhibits in the museum are handmade, which gives the place a very kitschy look.

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Antique Toy Museum in Mexico City

Another character from Chespirito, the comedian who created El Chapulin Colorado.

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Antique Toy Museum in Mexico City

Antique radios, anyone?

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Antique Toy Museum in Mexico City

These are the typical luchador toys, made of plastic and painted in multiple colors.

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Antique Toy Museum in Mexico City

The museum can look a bit swamped.

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Antique Toy Museum in Mexico City

This toy is inspired by Atayde Hermanos, the Mexican version of Ringling Bros.

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Antique Toy Museum in Mexico City

The entry fee to the museum is 50 pesos (about $2.50, £2, AU$3.50).

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Antique Toy Museum in Mexico City

The murals alone are worth a visit.

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Antique Toy Museum in Mexico City

The building itself could use some love.

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Antique Toy Museum in Mexico City

Some of the "pieces" on the shelves don't seem to fit the theme.

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Antique Toy Museum in Mexico City

Barbies! Lots of them!

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Antique Toy Museum in Mexico City

Look! It's R2-D2, frequently called "Arturito" in Spanish.

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Antique Toy Museum in Mexico City

Iconography inspired by the colorful lucha libre style of professional wrestling is everywhere at MUJAM.

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Antique Toy Museum in Mexico City

Murals, murals and more amazing murals.

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Antique Toy Museum in Mexico City

In English, this reads: "Art is a reflection of society, and it's at its best with dedication, quality and devotion and a technique that moves you."

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