They are open only on Tuesday or appointments. I rang the bell it looked empty but someone was there in less than a minute. Very nice a friendly daughter of the founder. The collection is amazing. I guess a number of pieces have been sold already as they are closing in March I was told. Most of the items are downstairs and it's a massive space with rows and rows of display cabinets with mirrors so you can see the back sides of the jugs. I was blown away with the quality of these hand painted ceramic jugs. There are some non-Jugs but I'm guessing thousands of what seem to be unique items. I learned that there were production runs of the jugs but all hand painted. No admission but a donation jar. Come before the items disappear. You won't be disappointed. read more

See all

Started, curated, and totally funded by the late Stephen Mullins, the American Toby Jug Museum offers visitors what is probably the largest, most diverse set of Toby Jugs in the world. Not sure what a Toby Jug is? Neither did I until today. It hails from a drunken Englishman who went to the pub every day. When he died, his friends created this type of jug to honor him. I'm sure I'm killing the story, but what followed that chain of events was more than 100 years of potteries making these jugs. There are jugs of presidents, Disney characters, the Harris Bank lion, Will Rogers, the Three Stooges, Stalin, and on and on. There are thousands of Jugs in case after case. This is a great place to bring kids. The museum provides a list of characters to discover on a scavenger hunt. I wish I had the time to join the hunt, looked like fun. I was there to help celebrate the life of this remarkable man. He was a Dartmouth grad, veteran, gold-winning (at age 85) swimmer, entrepreneur, and anchor in his community. May he Rest In Peace. read more

See all

5/5 stars. Best. Collection. Ever. I've had this museum bookmarked on Yelp! for several months and finally had the opportunity to visit. It was totally worth the drive, far exceeded my expectations and the admission was FREE. The American Toby Jug Museum located in Evanston is simply outstanding. It's truly a sight to behold. I promise that you'll never, ever see a collection quite like this again in your lifetime. It took my breath away. The museum features the World's largest collection of Toby & Character Jugs. Over 8,000 Jugs are on display. The oldest on display (circa 1765) to the most recent (2015). You can even get a shot of yourself next to the World's Largest Toby! (see my photos) Nearly every character you can imagine from politicians, actors, actresses, cartoon characters, television characters, animals, fairytales, musicians, and much more can be seen here, depicted in the form of a Toby. Sandy, Assistant Curator, was great. We chatted with her for a good while, learning all about the history of the Toby Jug and the museum itself. She was so approachable and informative. Talk about a cool career to have. It's very obvious that each of these jugs are well loved and treasured by their owner. I've never seen anything like this before and it's just amazing that one person has amassed such a collection. We'll definitely be back because there's just too much to see. Great museum for all ages. Ring the bell when you arrive so that someone can let you in. The museum is located in a basement. Museum is open limited hours, so check the website. Currently they're open the 1st and 3rd Saturdays from 10-5pm. Museum is free, but donations are accepted. read more

SHOW ME YOUR JUGS This museum is so quirky and fun; a great way to kill an hour or two, and best of all? It's absolutely free! (Although they have a jar by the entrance to make a donation if you're so inclined.) The museum's founder and curator is a businessman, who just so happens to have a vast collection of Toby jugs that he's been collecting for over 65 years. And by "vast," I mean over 8000 (the largest collection of jugs in the world), with well over 30 countries represented. That's a lot of jugs. You'll find historical jugs (Churchill is among the most oft-seen, with good reason), pop-culture jugs (Snoopy, Harry Potter, Star Trek, Xena the Warrior Princess), musical jugs (The Beatles, Elvis) political jugs (most U.S. Presidents,), sports jugs (Michael Jordan); even the museum's founder has a jug of his likeness here. You get the picture---jugs for days, people. I definitely recommend checking this place out at least once. Great for all ages. Note: the museum is open on the first and third Saturdays of the month, despite the business hours listed. Best to check website first so you're not disappointed. read more

What the heck is a Toby Jug? Yup, that was exactly the question my friend had before her curiosity became unbearable and we decided to pay this place a visit. We rang the doorbell outside and were let into the building, down the stairs, and to the magnificent sight of rows of thousands of Toby Jugs. We got a brief overview of what a Toby Jug is (derived from a famous drunkard named Toby Philpot; I feel so much more educated now). We walked around for the next half hour or so, and we also did the scavenger hunt (trying to find all the jugs on a given list and marking which display they are in), which made the visit more exciting. It was a very enjoyable, interesting experience; I had no idea such an intriguing place existed so near me. And it is free! although there is a jar near the entrance if you want to make a donation. read more

American Toby Jug Museum - Museums Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

See all

So I have to thank William G for suggesting a visit to this beyond fascinating destination. I am proud to say I'm one of the lucky ones who took the opportunity to pay a visit to this underground secret museum. Open Tuesdays and Thursdays or by appointment only, there is a world of Toby jug and character jug treasures to uncover. Did you know they have the smallest Toby jug in the world here? It's a world class exhibit with fantastic descriptions for each item so you know what the heck you're looking at. I had a personal tour today with the owner, Steve, of this magnificent collection. How in the world does he actually remember each and every detailed fact about each piece of the collection? Passion. He's not an art history major, but just a passionate collector of these hand painted jugs and mugs. He's famous! Did you know they even have a Toby made out of Legos? That's right! Want a fun escape? Head on over for an underground Toby jug adventure around the world. read more

Currently, the museum is open on Tuesdays, from noon to five. If you have any interest in pop culture, you have to go here. You won't believe it. You essentially walk down into an underground lair that is unfathomably enormous. And you are confronted by wall after wall, display after display of faces staring at you. A hundred Winston Churchills. Stalin. Chaplin. Bob Hope. KISS. Giant ceramic lizards dressed as monks. It does have a certain nightmarish funhouse quality. But you also get to see a history of the world through the prism of this giant mug. So it's also this incredibly entertaining overview of caricature art from the past 400 years. Speaking of entertaining, I have to make mention of our guide, Katherine. She knows her stuff, but was so fun and enthusiastic, she's more like a host than a guide. When you're walking around you also get a deep look at the nature of collecting,-- enthusiasm, obsession, completion. There's a lot going on down there. read more

This place is so cute and fun!! It might sound like an odd museum to check out but it's actually pretty interesting. I will say you may feel overwhelmed just checking it out because the place is HUGE!! They have tons of collection and the people who work there are very kind and knowledge. What I thought was really fun is that they have all these pieces from history, disney, star wars, celebrities, different countries, and more!! It was really fun coming down here. I would definitely check it out and it is FREE! FREE and FUN, can't beat that :) read more

This place is the epitome of a hidden gem. I walked right by it even when I was on the lookout for it (for a Yelp Elite event), and had to backtrack to find the entrance. The museum itself is great. I didn't know what a Toby Jug was (or the difference between a jug and a mug) before I visited the museum, and learned a lot. The owners of the museum are also wonderful. They were more than willing to answer questions and were quite knowledgable about their collection. Definitely recommend visiting if you have a chance! read more

I loved this place! I wasn't sure about it, but I was wrong. It's very cool. I could spend hours in there. It's a great, offbeat date spot. Wonderful for families and tourists alike. I highly recommend checking it out. read more

While the American Toby Jug Museum may have an inconspicuous street-level entrance on Chicago Ave., downstairs there is a spectacular display of colorful and curious Toby and character jugs. In fact, this museum hosts 8,000 jugs, which are (usually) ceramic jugs molded to depict the full body (Toby) or the head (character) of a person or animal. The jugs span the early 1800s to the present, and most of the jugs are of American and European make, but there are also a handful from other parts of the world. It was fascinating to walk through the aisles of jugs and see the historical evolution of styles and crafting ability. Don't forget to look at the mirror behind the jugs so you can see their backsides. The museum staff are very knowledgeable and willing to answer questions. I highly recommend making a trip here! read more

I love crazy, weird little museums and this one definitely fit the bill. The toby jugs are really interesting and varied and the collection is huge. Check it out if you can. read more

Awesome collection of Jugs, definitely recommended to visit once in Chicago. There are around 8000 jugs in all shapes & sizes. read more

See all

It's not often you see a fascinating bit of history, but that's exactly what you get here. The best part? Catching a mistake in one of the exhibits and notifying a grateful curating staff of it. So the next time you see the Wacko Warner mug correctly identified and organized in the Warner Bros. cartoon section, you can thank me and the wonderful curators of the American Toby Jug Museum. read more

Sandy was wonderful and very knowledgable in showing us around and telling the history of the Toby Jug. This is a gem of Evanston that shouldn't be missed and Mr Mullins collection is simply awesome. There is something for everyone to see here and this place is great for families. If you live here and people visit, I highly recommend stopping by. I'm glad our friends took us. Thanks again Sandy! read more

This is truly a hidden gem - lived in the area all my life and had never heard of it, but this is a great place to spend an afternoon! Good for kids and adults, just be sure to check the hours before coming (they're not open every day). If you want to make it a full day check out Dave's Rock Shop as well, they're just on the other side of the tracks. read more

This museum is very impressive. I took two grandsons with me 11 and5. Both of them loved the jugs. It is truly wonderful.

I enjoyed the experience with a friend. I especially was amazed at all the different Tobys and exquisite designs. There was a visiting French guest who was very knowledgeable in explaining the different meanings behind different jugs. However, I was disturbed that a Toby figure of hitler was displayed on a top shelf and not on the bottom shelf. When i told the manager my thoughts on the placement of this jug he replied that he was not going to take my concern into consideration. I was disturbed with the lousy customer service that was offered. read more

Not only were the exhibits so organized and interesting, the staff was genuinely eager to help us truly understand the magic that are Toby jugs. The organization and variety will keep us coming back and recommending the museum to family and friends. As far as my first experience with Toby jugs go, I think I am hooked. No prior knowledge of them is needed! All will enjoy if interested in seeing art from different eras and locations. A must see and it was free!!! read more