American Toby Jug Museum 

Very interesting medium through which to explore history.  Thank you for bringing it all together!

I came all the way from England to visit, and it didn't Disappoint!  Great collection!

England

Hilarious, Fun and Quirky!  Thank you so much!

Ooo La La! Formidable!

Nimes, France

It's so adorable that I want to live here.

India

Traveled all the way from Philadelphia for this exhibit  -  just awesome!  Thanks.

Philadelphia

What a glorious collection of "Rotund Imbibers".

England

We bring all our guests here!  Third visit!

I didn't touch anything.

Great! Fascinating collection! Loved it! My grandpa collected Toby Jugs!  Thanks for the memories.

I am quite the Toby myself... Great collection!

Chicago, Logan Square

Sandra - Thank you for showing my girlfriend and me around the museum yesterday and for the awesome Character Jug. Turns out my great grandfather had a collection of Tobies, so I'll be bringing the rest of my family in sometime this spring!  I recommended the museum on Yelp and Reddit, and I look forward to following the museum on Instagram once you get that up and running.  Glad I stumbled upon the Toby Jug Museum!

Lovely day here. Absolutely stunning! Makes me dizzy.

England

J. Kilzer says this is the bomb!  So cool!

We'll drink in Toby's honor.

Awesome museum!  We were able to discover info on a family heirloom.

Best museum - most interesting and unique museum we've ever been to!

Please don't let me in again; my blood pressure can't take it.  Thanks.

Outstanding and incredible!  The Doulton archives.  It is easy to spend hours admiring everything.

I am in love!  I didn't even know what Toby Jugs were before coming to this museum.

I visited the museum in April 2017 for the second time, the fist time some 20 years ago when it was in a different, smaller location.  I was completely bowled over by the sheer number of Character and Toby Jugs from all the different manufacturers of the world!  English pottery is an interest of mine and to see these jugs that date from the 18th century to present day, factories like Burgess & Leigh, Artone, Shorter & Son, Kevin Francis, Bairstow Manor, Beswick, Carltonware, to name a few, and the most complete Royal Doulton Character Jug collection that I have ever seen.  Thank you to Sandy and Steve who are the most passionate museum curators that make your visit an absolute pleasure!

England

Having been an Antiques Dealer in the UK for almost 30 years, I am accustomed to viewing wonderful ceramics collections.  However, my visit to the American Toby Jug Museum blew me away!  Steve, the owner, has amassed what I consider to be the most amazing collection of Toby Jugs anywhere in the world.  His museum in Evanston, Illinois, houses an overwhelming display of over 8000 jugs from Europe and the US, dating back to the early 1700s. I cannot recommend highly enough a visit to this amazing place  -  I guarantee you will not be disappointed. The collection is quite frankly stupendous.

England

Toby or not Toby, that is the question.

Thank you from all of us collectors - you have set the standard.

Do not miss this!  This is just the biggest surprise in Evanston, the most wonderful history tour. I took my father, a man who would find fault in winning a million dollars and living in an ice cream factory, and he had nothing but high praise.

I am proud to say I'm one of the lucky ones who took the opportunity to pay a visit to this 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 and largest Toby jugs 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 a Toby jug adventure around the world

Highland Park, Illinois

This place is the epitome of a hidden gem. 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!

Evanston, Illinois

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 late 1700s 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!

Evanston, Illinois