Gone to the Frogs

So upon her retirement, Adler decided to pay homage to her favorite amphibian, which once populated the area: In February, she opened the Frogtown Froggy Museum at Fort Industry Square in downtown Toledo.

“I love museums, and I always dreamed of opening one,” Adler says. “Toledo is known as Frogtown USA, so I thought we needed a frog museum, and here we are.”

Adler started collecting memorabilia for the museum last summer. More than 400 frog items in every conceivable size, color and material are on display. There are stuffed frogs that sing, a frog alarm clock, phones, games, blankets — even underwear sporting the aquatic creatures.

Kids of all ages are invited to read books, solve puzzles, stage plays with puppets and go bowling with frog-themed balls and pins.

“[The museum is] very family-friendly,” Adler says. “Adults really get a kick out of some of the items I have, and kids enjoy playing with them.”

True to her former career, Adler remains committed to education:

A live, barking tree frog has recently made the museum its home, and visitors can stop by and learn all about Figaro and his relatives. An interactive game proffers facts about rainforests, and explains the anatomy of a frog.

“[My goal],” says Adler, “is to offer something fun and unusual that will benefit the community.”

For more information, call 419/944-8806 or visit frogtownfroggymuseum.webs.com. The museum is open Sat., 10 a.m.–5 p.m., and Sun., 1–5 p.m. Admission is free, but donations are accepted.