Arlene Wagner is a little nutty – about nutcrackers, that is. As the co-founder and curator of the Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum in Leavenworth, Wash., she shares the world’s largest collections of its kind with over 40,000 visitors annually.

          “We’ve had visitors from every state in the union, every province in Canada and from over 50 countries. We had 4,000 guests in November alone,” she said. “The Nutcracker Museum is one of Leavenworth’s favorite tourist attractions. We’re very popular.”

A passion for crackin’

Located at 735 Front Street in the heart of the city’s Bavarian Village, the Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum began as a way for Wagner and her late husband George to showcase their personal collection amassed over 25 years. The Wagners’ passion for nutcrackers developed out of their shared love of the Tchaikovsky ballet, which Arlene directed for 11 years and George performed in for eight.

After marrying in 1970, the couple toured nutcracker factories throughout Europe, and attended nutcracker-making workshops. They collected a variety of nutcrackers in all shapes and sizes and before long, the collection outgrew their home. The Wagners faced a choice: Buy a new home in which to live or find a new home for the nutcrackers.

They chose the latter, purchasing a three-story, 9,000-square-foot Bauernhaus-style building and opening its doors to the public on June 10, 1995. In 2006, the museum earned its 501(c)3 nonprofit designation and today is home to over 9,000 nutcracking devices. It was inducted into the Guinness Book of World Records in March 2022 and has been featured on CBS News, The Food Network, the Conan O’Brien Show, A&E’s Ultimate Holiday Town and HGTV.

The museum’s mission is to “foster and encourage the interest of the general public of the importance of nuts in the diets of humans through history and in the evolution of the nutcracker. No other tool or collectible has shown such a wide diversity of material and design as the implement used to crack the hard shell of a nut,” says their website.

“Yes, this place is nutty … but it’s a good kind of nutty. It’s quirky … it’s charming and there’s no chance you are going to forget about your experience here,” said Jason Van Camp of Portland Ore., in a Yelp review.

Beyond the basic

          Guests who think Nutcrackers are limited to the white-bearded toy soldiers typically sold en masse around the holidays are surprised to find that the Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum offers much more. In fact, it is the only place in the world where one can see everything from ancient nutting stones to hand-forged and molded metal devices. They are made in a variety of carved woods, from manmade materials, and some crafted from bone, ivory and porcelain. There are countless shapes, sizes and characters on display including some that, while historic, depict negative stereotypes that guests may find offensive.

          According to Wagner, the oldest metal nutcracking device in the museum is from ancient Rome, 200 B.C. – 200 A.D. It’s made of bronze and features four detailed lions on its handles. It was unearthed in 1960, and after being buried for more than 1,800 years the bronze was completely corroded.

          The oldest wooden nutcracker on site is a carved boxwood design from 1500. Artisans from England and France were particularly fond of boxwood due to its grain and uniformity of color.

While there are some similarities between that model and the variety featured in the famous ballet, the standing wooden soldier and king nutcrackers did not come about until 1800. According to the museum’s website, the term “Nussknacker” first appeared in the Grimm Brothers dictionary and was used to describe a “misshapen little man, in whose mouth the nut, by means of a lever or screw, is cracked open.”

Bring the whole family

          There is something for everyone at the Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum. In addition to being an affordable outing for the whole family, Wagner – aka “Nutcracker Lady” – has created several scavenger hunts geared for the young and young at heart. Those who cannot read can follow along with pictures to identify nutcrackers depicting Mickey Mouse, Santa Claus, an elephant or an alligator. Elementary school-aged hunters can seek out a bear, witch or the Tin Man from “The Wizard of Oz.” Older kids may seek out more detailed nutcrackers, such as a metal kangaroo or a monkey in a top hat, while teens and adults will have to find specific materials and characteristics in order to win the game. Wagner even has hunts for Spanish-speaking guests, those with mobility issues who need to stay on the first floor, couples and more. There is a small surprise for those who turn in a completed list!

          “What a fabulous little museum! Their scavenger hunt kept my 7-year-old engaged for an hour,” Kirsten Dugger said in a Google Review. Don’t forget to stop by the Nutcracker Lady’s gift shop, which includes a wide variety of high-quality nutcrackers for sale to add to any collection. The shop also offers ornaments, smokers, books and collectibles.

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