National bobblehead museum opens in Milwaukee

A new museum in Milwaukee may well hold the largest collection of bobbleheads anyone has ever seen, displaying more than 6,500 figures of athletes, mascots, celebrities, animals, cartoon characters, politicians and more.

The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum recently opened at 170 S. First St., on the second floor. It was the brainchild of friends Phil Sklar and Brad Novak, who started collecting the figures 16 years ago.

“We’ve put everything into this,” Sklar said.

They decided on a museum and bobblehead-creating business about four years ago, after quitting their jobs in corporate finance (Sklar) and retail sales (Novak).

Since then, they have been making bobbleheads to earn money, collecting bobbleheads from thrift stores and private donors, finding a location and all the other things that go with creating a museum.

They have collected more than 10,000 bobbleheads, including a lifesize bobblehead; a Pat Hughes bobblehead calling the World Series title for the Cubs; bobbleheads of characters from “The Wizard of Oz” and the “Star Wars” franchise; and the first football and baseball bobbleheads from the early 1960s. They even have one of Donald Trump from “The Apprentice” that says “You’re fired” upon the push of a button.

Some of the figures will be on rotation or part of special exhibits.

The bobblehead museum is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays. Weekend hours are planned beginning this spring. Admission is $5.

The Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report.