The DFW Car & Toy Museum has been named a Best of Texas winner in the Museum category by Guide to Texas, an annual statewide program that lets readers nominate and vote for their favorite Texas businesses and organizations. For the Fort Worth attraction, which opened at 2550 McMillan Parkway in March 2025, the recognition is particularly meaningful because it came directly from the people who walked through its doors, explored its collection, and cast a vote.
"We are incredibly grateful to everyone who voted for us," said Ron Sturgeon, founder of the DFW Car & Toy Museum. "We built this museum because we wanted people to have a place where they could see incredible cars and toys, learn something, have fun and simply enjoy themselves. To have Texans recognize us with this award means a tremendous amount to us."
The award's significance lies in its grassroots nature. According to Guide to Texas, winners are selected primarily based on voting results, with votes reviewed for validity and winning businesses reviewed as part of a verification process. The Best of Texas designation represents the program's highest statewide winner designation. For the museum, being recognized in the Museum category reflects support from its visitors and the broader Texas community, rather than from an industry panel or internal selection.
The museum's story began decades before it opened in Fort Worth. Sturgeon started collecting toys in the 1980s and eventually expanded to full-size automobiles. What began as a personal passion grew into a collection of more than 200 cars and more than 3,000 toys and collectibles. Originally housed in Haltom City, the collection outgrew its space and moved to its current approximately 150,000-square-foot facility in North Fort Worth, near Meacham Airport and I-35W.
Today, visitors can explore an ever-changing collection featuring European classics, American automobiles, Japanese cars, race cars, celebrity vehicles, unusual and quirky automobiles, vintage toys, model cars, robots, antique German toys and more. Perhaps one of the biggest surprises is that admission is free. The museum was created to be accessible to everyone, whether someone is a lifelong car enthusiast, a serious collector, a parent looking for something fun to do with the kids, or simply curious.
Beyond its exhibits, the museum has become a gathering place for the North Texas community. It hosts events every weekend, bringing together car clubs, collectors, families, enthusiasts and visitors from throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area. From car shows and specialty gatherings to toy events and community activities, there is always something different happening. The museum also offers flexible event spaces for private parties, corporate gatherings, club events, meetings and celebrations, and it is dog friendly.
The Best of Texas award could have broader implications for Fort Worth and the region's cultural landscape. It signals that a free, independently founded museum can compete with larger institutions for public recognition, and it reinforces the value of accessibility in attracting visitors. For a city that already boasts major museums, the DFW Car & Toy Museum adds a different kind of destination: one built around a personal collection that became a public asset.
"We don't take this for granted," Sturgeon said. "Every person who visits, tells a friend, posts a photo, leaves a review or votes for us helps us continue building something special here in Fort Worth. We are very thankful."
The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., with final entry at 5 p.m. With more than 200 cars, thousands of toys and collectibles, free admission and events throughout the year, there is plenty to discover. After being named Best of Texas, the museum has one simple message for everyone who helped make it happen: Thank you, Texas. We couldn't have done it without you.
