This is a great place to go for a little nostalgia. If you grew up in the '70s, '80s, or '90s--or just love vintage toys--you have to check out the Retroverse Museum. The toy collection is insanely fun and super well-curated. I saw everything from original Star Wars figures to Matchbox cars and He-Man. The staff were friendly and knowledgeable about the collections. You can tell a lot of love went into this place. New pieces are added as they are found "in the wild" or donated by collectors and families of collectors that have passed. They even have some duplicate/overflow items available to purchase in a little gift shop area. Tickets are a little pricy, but proceeds are used to maintain the museum, as well as a variety of community events. read more

My husband and I loved it here! They stayed open a little later so we could visit while we were passing through Hot Springs, and they were so easy to communicate with and really went our of their way for us! We didn't mind the price of admission, since they give so much back to the community. Excellent cause, such cool selection of collections, and a great tour with fun backstories! We came specifically for Star Wars nostalgia, but were pleasantly surprised with how much else was there! We would definitely come back if we are ever passing through Hot Springs again! read more

While looking for things to do while visiting Hot Springs, my nerdy fiance and I found this place and couldn't resist checking it out! We pretty much had just expected it to be a shop to look around, but ended up buying tickets to their museum, which is a huge collection of all different kinds of toys and collectibles. And even though it's in a small building, there is a lot that you get to see!! It's really cool the way they have it set up... You start out in an 80's themed room to watch a retro-style video of what they're all about, and can then get to see different types of collections.. If you're a Star Wars fan, you're going to have a ball here.. a ton of photo ops ;) What I really like is how they are a non-profit. They sell collectibles as well, and will even visit hospitals dressed as characters and put on events. So you can nerd out here for a cause!! read more

This place is a total blast from the past! We took the VIP tour which was informative, educational (not only for the young audience), and also helps children in need (you can hear more about it when you take the tour.) So many items, toys, games, it's hard to believe just one person collected them all. Take lots of pictures. It was fun! read more

Amazing people. Amazing place. Lots of nostalgia. Great experience. You won't be disappointed.

Found this place thanks to a friend that's a local and was right up my boo's ally so we took the time to visit amongst our busy day in the city. Ended up being ALOT more expensive than expected for the VIP tour which basically just allows you to see an 80's room and touch some light sabers and helmets. Both are pretty cool, the first downright awesome, but not worth 75$ for two people when we're going through a pandemic. Yes it is just some guys personal collection so be aware of that before purchase but it's quite extensive. Our tour guide didn't know a lot about the specifics when asked certain questions in the Star Wars room which was kind of annoying considering it was a led tour and he had some off hand jokes but more hit the group positively. They're passion and community work is out of this world! read more

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I had such a great time! From walking in the first part of the tour was an immediate flashback of my midwestern childhood. From the room with the wood paneling on the wall and Alf sitting on the couch in front of the TV next to the rack of vhs tapes. Total blast from the past. My tour guide knew so much about pretty much everything we could get into. Down to details on how to make your own cosplay with materials and techniques. It was great to geek out for a couple hours and see so much if what I grew up with and also see things I didn't even know existed. Great collection and also the owner does some great work and puts this passion into helping others with organizations such as Make A Wish foundation. Highly recommend if you want to take a step back into what life was like growing up with VHS, cassette tapes, or even Betamax! read more

The Galaxy Connection - Museums Near Me - Hot Springs, Arkansas

Of all my travels this was one of the most unique experiences I've ever encountered. I had such a great time at this museum and learned so much! Everything I saw before I visited categorized this as a Star Wars museum, but this is really a place full of memorabilia and nostalgia. I recommend visiting even if you don't see yourself as a hard-core fan of anything from the pictures because it's fun. You can tour, purchase collectibles, do the VIP tour to dress up / cosplay, play retro games, etc. Our tour guide was laid-back and easy-going and made the experience that much more enjoyable. Plus if you're not already aware part of your tour fee goes to charities. read more

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We had a fabulous time! They had a little bit of everything to throw you back in time! Our tour guy was super knowledgeable and we learned a lot, laughed a lot and took some fun pictures! My only advice is fix the floor, standing/walking on concrete is tough and the divots/holes aren't leg friendly either! Other then that great place! read more

The Galaxy Connection - Museums Near Me - Hot Springs, Arkansas

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Andrew our tour guide was AMAZING. Knowledgeable and great energy without being cheesy. It totally made the whole experience that much better to have some who truly cared and committed to what he was showing us. I couldn't believe he knew the year for almost all the toys and memorabilia. And he made it about us too - kept asking my son which ones he liked the most and everything. Just an absolute blast of an hour or so. read more

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If you find yourself in Hot Springs Arkansas, and have and have any connection what-so-ever to Star Wars, Marvel comics, or 1980s-themed action figures and toys, you need to tour "The Galaxy Connection!" https://www.thegalaxyconnection.com We took the VIP tour today and it was outstanding. Our guide, Andrew, walked us through each room and helped us both remember and learn more about a variety of Star Wars and 1980s era science fiction, fantasy, and cartoon movie characters, plot lines and memorabilia. The Star Wars helmets, light sabers, and costumes were pretty amazing. This all started as the personal collection of the founder, John. This remains essentially a passion project / side project, but is now a nonprofit and they not only support a variety of good causes in the Hot Springs community but also organize different events dressed up as some of our favorite movie and comic story characters. It's just off the main road in Hot Springs (Central Avenue) and well worth the trip. Be sure to book your tour in advance online, the "VIP tour" is worth every penny. Highly recommended! Check out all the photos from our visit on: https://www.flickr.com/gp/wfryer/q4272T read more

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What a great find! My husband and son are huge Star Wars fans, so we opted for the VIP tour. The massive quantity of collectibles on display was awe-inspiring! There were also items from Batman, Marvel, GI Joe, Barbie, Scooby Doo, (full-size Mystery Machine van!), Cabbage Patch Kids, etc. There were even old-school video games they could play at the end of the tour. It was well worth the price of admission. It was a super fun blast from the past! read more

Everything was amazing!! The lady was really sweet and when you're done you can play on their Nintendo 64! They had a music player, but I don't think I know how to use it. Their starwars collection is HUGE!!! I wish we did the guided tour. Y'all should go check it out :) read more

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Pretty cool to be honest. There's a few different rooms to walk through, each with their own thing to offer. There's a bit of marvel items, and characters as well. However, it's definitely a place catered towards Star Wars fanatics. It was interesting to see some things up close and personal, and get a few fun facts about the movies as well. It was nice being able to touch and try on a few things. NOTE: Keep in mind this museum is mostly a persons own personal collectibles, so it's not exactly the same feel as a museum. However, it was still pretty cool. read more

The Galaxy Connection - Museums Near Me - Hot Springs, Arkansas

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OK OK OK. You are telling me this is the best keep secret in Arkansas! It is! We had blast STAR WARS DANS CAN NOT MISS THIS SPOT! I've been to Disney and saw more " real artifacts" at this spot than any place. It's so legit. The guy loves hero's And Star Wars. Want to feel like you feel back into 1991? This is the spot. Worth every penny. Also you get to play with light Sabers!!! Must see in Arkansas!!! read more

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This place is great for young and old. For me it was a blast to my childhood past that was very nostalgic. For my daughter, she enjoyed the truly incredible collection of Star War costumes, toys, light sabers, and more. A must see when you are in Hot Springs! read more

The Galaxy Connection - Galaxy Connection - Museums Near Me - Hot Springs, Arkansas

I live in TX and my parents are in MO. I had seen The Galaxy Connection online and it was actually part of the reason we picked Hot Springs as a meeting point. It was definitely worth it. Emily was our tour guide and she did a great job. We loved all the rooms and the tour brought back a lot of great memories. I love that they give back to the community. So cool that we could try on helmets and use the lightsabers. I grew up with Star Wars so this was really a special visit with my dad. read more

The Galaxy Connection - Posing with Han Solo and Boba Fett - Museums Near Me - Hot Springs, Arkansas

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My husband and 3 boys loved it! The tour guide was very nice and knowledgeable. Highly recommend going if you are in the area.

Awesome place and great collection! Takes me way back to my childhood days. Highly recommend for any family. We enjoyed ourselves and ended up spending two hours looking around and playing the games. read more

My 15 yo son really wanted to do this but I think I enjoyed it more than he did. If you're wondering what it is exactly, it's some guy's personal (mostly vintage) toy collection. He's focused on Star Wars but he has He-Man, GI Joe etc. It was super nostalgic seeing the toys I had and loved as a kid. Our guide was very enthusiastic and friendly but spoke a little too fast. There are also some retail promotional statues like spider-man and Batman among others. A couple of replica movie props and a ton of homemade stuff. In my opinion the guide spent way too much time on the homemade stuff. There is also a room with costumes that the owner and others use for charity character visits. Again, I feel way too much time was spent on these. My suggestion to management is to put all the homemade stuff together in the costume room as a sort of "fan art" section and greatly reduce the amount of time spent there. Focus on the toys. There is a lot of interesting information about the toys that could have been shared to provide more context but wasn't The gift shop has a great selection of action figures for sale. Overall, we had fun, but I agree with other reviews that it's a little too expensive for what it is. read more

An inexpensive showcase of star war toys and memrobilia. Short guided tour with plenty of opportunities for pictures, including sitting on a Endor cylce and in an x wing. read more

The Galaxy Connection - Museums Near Me - Hot Springs, Arkansas

So we are on our honeymoon and my husband found this place. He's a die hard star wars fan is almost the same age as the owner. I am not a fan of Star Wars,but this museum was really cool!! I enjoyed all of it, as well as did he. The tour guide was awesome and explained it all so well. The best part was to hear a little bit of his story and about all the non profits they give back to through this amazing business!! Will definitely recommend to anyone and we will be back soon to bring our kids! Thank you to everyone who helps support this amazing business!! read more

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This place is awesome. The VIP tour is definitely worth it, they let you play with the light sabers! They have a lot of knowledge and it has been a great experience. read more

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It was a great experience, especially for Star Wars fans! The guys were so nice and knowledgeable. I wasn't sure what to expect when I looked it up online but my twelve year old son was so pumped to see the huge collected and it really brought me back to my childhood. I definitely recommend this as one of your stops. read more

Such an awesome experience! I highly recommend any Star Wars fans to visit here. The tour guides are super knowledgeable and very friendly! I loved how they even told much of the backstory and inspiration for Star Wars. It is amazing to see the parallels to Scripture! There is an area for trying on some costumes and props you can get pictures in: My son already wants to go back!! read more

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We were the only people on the tour and Noah did an awesome job! We had so much fun learning about all the collectibles and the history of the museum. It was such a unique and cool experience! read more

This is such an awesome place for Star Wars and super hero fans! Make sure you take the tour because it is amazing. Anna and Destiny were our guides and they did a great job giving detailed information about the history of the collection and really cool facts about Star Wars. I love that you can take pictures with everything and that they have lots of props and costumes for fun pictures too. So glad we came! read more

The Galaxy Connection - Museums Near Me - Hot Springs, Arkansas

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Had no idea this place was here! Walked in because of the wall of Star Wars toys to discover that they also give tours of some old school memorabilia and life size display items. Lots of picture opportunities! The staff here is very fun to talk to. The best part is that the is no gate-keeping here, doesn't matter how knowledgeable you are when you walk in the door- the spirit of the fandoms inhabited here are very well represented- and you will be warmly welcomed. Not to mention they donate to lots of charities here! read more

The Galaxy Connection - Museums Near Me - Hot Springs, Arkansas

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We took our elementary aged kids and they enjoyed it. We had two different tour guides jumping in and chiding each other on who was the better tour guide. It wasn't funny, it was distracting, and it made the tour longer. One of them also made an inappropriate joke for a kid-friendly audience. Some of the facts along the tour were interesting, I admit, but the guide was so intent on getting through his tour that the experience wasn't very enjoyable. For instance, at one point we had to go back into another room because he wasn't finished telling us what he was supposed to tell us. (This was partially caused by the other tour guide taking us into the next room too early, apparently.) Anyway--I'm glad we took the advice of others and didn't book the VIP tour, which the guide said just lets you touch some masks and light sabers. Might be a better experience for some if there were a cheaper option just to walk through and look at the museum without the tour. But, my kids noticed none of this and had a great time. :) read more

Great collection of Star Wars, Marvel, and DC items. Tour was informative and our tour guide Josh knowledgeable and friendly.

This place is so cool! It is basically a large collection of movie props, costumes, and vintage Star wars toys, but the true magic is in the actual guided tour. I don't know if they have multiple guides, but we had Sarah and she was awesome. Extremely knowledgeable and fun. She encouraged the kids to get involved in the tour and take pictures with the props and such. They also have a store front and have lots of Star Wars toys, posters, and the like. Our whole family loved it and all agreed it was our favorite part of our Hot Springs trip. For 8 dollars and about 45-60 minutes of your time, it is very much worth it to stop here, plus the proceeds go to charitable causes. read more

This is what you would expect from Hot Springs--kind of small town and hokey but in a good way. Pros: Cute, small, good for kids, Star Wars fans are sure to love it. Cons: -Overpriced for what it is. Money goes towards visiting kids in hospitals, etc. but the state history museum in Texas is $11, and this was $8 an adult. -Not so subtle religious undertones. This is an evangelical outreach for the Christian religion, trying to tie-in God/Jesus/redemption into George Lucas's Star Wars. If I had known that, I would not have gone in. I strongly feel like this should be labeled as an "Outreach Experience" more than it should be a "museum." read more

unique and interesting items on display. Not only were the tour guides knowledgeable ,but made it feel like we were old friends. Will be returning. read more

This place catches the spirit of fandom. The owner is very knowledgeable and his exhibits are amazing. He has a great personal story that touches you in the heart. The best part was the photo ops. read more

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nostalgia for young and old. great tour guide. couldn't ask for a better experience

Had so much fun here today! Tours are very cost friendly ($8 for adults I think $1 off for active duty military). I definitely recommend if you are a Star Wars fan! Tour was quick enough that it doesn't take a big chunk of time but it's also not rushed. read more

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The owners will personally take you through the museum and are super friendly. Upon leaving I realized that I'm so behind on Star Wars and it's trivia. Their gift store is extensive and have plenty of memorabilia to choose from. read more

The Galaxy Connection - Shopping area! - Museums Near Me - Hot Springs, Arkansas

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Wonderful experience. The guide was very knowledgeable and also considerate to my special needs son. Good for all ages. read more

The Galaxy Connection - Museums Near Me - Hot Springs, Arkansas

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Wish we had more time. Definitely do not overlook stopping by here. You can tell they put a lot of effort into their tour and really care about sharing their stories. read more

Full disclosure - I didn't actually know there was a museum. I guess I went to the gift store only. Having said that, it's a great store. My son likes Star Wars, especially minifigures, and I was able to buy several for him, with the help of the young man who was working there. Great service. Answered all my questions. Great Christmas gifts for the kiddo. read more