Medina's Christmas museum Castle Noel unveils new toy display as part of Christmas in July

Craig Webb, Akron Beacon Journal
·2 min read
Mark Klaus, founder of Castle Noel in Medina, shows off his new Hot Wheels display.
Mark Klaus, founder of Castle Noel in Medina, shows off his new Hot Wheels display.

Christmas is still a few months away on the calendar.

But there's a place in Medina where it is Christmas every day.

And the arrival of Christmas in July means a newly revamped attraction at Castle Noel.

The museum that is home to Christmas movie props and a collection of celebrated holiday window displays from New York department stores will unveil its new “Enchanted I Had That Toyland Experience” display in July.

More: Medina pauses for Clauses as dozens dress up for Santa Day

The exhibit features a collection of rare and not-so-rare toys that were under the tree over the years.

Many of the toys come to life — from a Furby to space ships and even a game or two.

A room of 100,000 ornaments from an old Cleveland department store are part of the collection at Castle Noel in Medina.
A room of 100,000 ornaments from an old Cleveland department store are part of the collection at Castle Noel in Medina.

A highlight of the exhibit includes an 8-foot rotating Hot Wheels track, featuring some 1,000 cars attached to three rings of track.

"As a child, you always wanted more tracks and bigger rings," museum founder Mark Klaus said. "So I built it — 400 feet of blaze orange track."

The Nutcracker Suite animated window, originally a 2016 display at Saks Fifth Avenue, New York City, is one of the hundreds of displays at Castle Noel.
The Nutcracker Suite animated window, originally a 2016 display at Saks Fifth Avenue, New York City, is one of the hundreds of displays at Castle Noel.

Guests with a keen eye will see a custom vehicle on one of the tracks that resembles Cousin Eddie's RV from National Lampoon's "Christmas Vacation." The actual RV is on display at the museum.

The museum says it took some six months and thousands of hours for workers to put the toy display together and bring it to life.

More: TikTok of Castle Noel in Medina goes viral as tickets to Christmas-themed museum are snapped up

Christmas in July events

The newly expanded exhibit will make its debut as part of the museum's Christmas in July celebration.

There will be some special events this month to mark the occasion.

They include:

  • Guests can have photos taken with a Cousin Eddie lookalike on July 8.

  • Mark Klaus and his wife, Dana, will greet guests at the Enchanted I Had That Toyland Experience on July 16. Mark will sign limited edition artwork.

  • The Euclid Beach Rocket Car will return for its annual Christmas cruise around Medina Square on July 23.

  • Grandparent's Santa tour caps will be distributed to guests on July 29. Advance registration required.

Tickets cost $25.50 each.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://castlenoel.com/ on the internet.

Craig Webb can be reached at cwebb@beaconjournal.com.

Mark Klaus stands in his Infinity Room, which is filled with NYC Bloomingdale's window displays at Castle Noel.
Mark Klaus stands in his Infinity Room, which is filled with NYC Bloomingdale's window displays at Castle Noel.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Medina Christmas museum Castle Noel unveils new toy display