baker family museum

There is too much to see in one day. Spread out to take it all in. This special collections of glassware is from local glassmakers.There are pieces for sale at this time.Nell Baker was very kind to give us the history and a complete tour.We bought some beautiful pieces for Christmas presents.

A collection of the Ohio glass manufacturers that once were a trademark of southeast Ohio, the last going out of business in 1978. Unique glassworks, firearms displays, and the docent is related to the Baker family.

Driving around Caldwell recently, my friend and I happened to come across the Baker Family Museum. Since we had never heard of a 'family museum', we decided to see what it was. Fortunately we happened by on a Wednesday so the museum was open. It is only open Wednesday through Saturday. Admission is free. Donations are welcome.Upon entering we saw a room full of curio cabinets filled with, mostly antique, glass and pottery. At first, I thought the items were for sale but they weren't. They were displayed to admire. Often we'd run across five of the same item displayed next to each other. The next room held even more curio cabinets, rows and rows of curio cabinets...The docent explained that the museum held a private collection of over 300,000 items that the Bakers had collected over the years. Why would they do this? She said that the original Bakers that started the collection would probably be called "hoarders" today. Originally the collection was housed in a building on their farm. After they died, the family brought the collection to this building in town.Also, as part of the collection, another room is filled with groupings of things from bygone eras. There is a schoolroom, toys, gasoline station memorabilia and much more. There is a section in this room devoted to the crash of the Shenandoah, a zeppelin that crashed nearby in 1925. I'd often seen a commemoration plaque at the local rest stop on I-77 so this was interesting to see.The Baker Family Museum is an odd place that may appeal to some. Depending on your fondness for antique glass and pottery, you might decide to stop.

The Baker Family Museum is one of very few attractions in the city of Caldwell, OH. Since we were passing through and the museum was open, we decided to check it out. The museum has a collection of 300,000 items ranging from glass antiques to other random historical artifacts. Most notable is a small display of pieces from the USS Shenandoah aircraft that crashed in Noble county. The glassware is from the local area. The museum is only open Wednesday through Saturday from 9am until 4 or 5pm. So check the website to ensure it is open when you plan to visit. There is usually someone there that can answer questions for you or maybe give a small tour. The museum itself is small and had tons of pieces randomly crammed into shelves. It has an 'old' smell to it (probably since most items date back so far). Overall, its something to do if you are passing through, but it shouldn't take more than an hour to get through.