STANSTED MOUNTFITCHET — If nostalgia could be bottled, House on the Hill Toy Museum would corner the market.

A menagerie of childhood delights spanning the Victorian era through the 1980s, every square inch of the museum is filled with action figures, dolls, stuffed animals and games.

Walking into this exhibition of 80,000 toys — punctuated by flashing lights, arcade games, posters and murals — makes for a whimsical sensory overload. But once you spot that toy, the one that was the prize of your childhood collection, your attention focuses on the carefree days of yesteryear when school and play were your only two jobs.

There is a fair amount of antique toys but most of the collection is made of modern, pop culture mainstays. Barbie dolls, Princess Diana’s childhood bicycle, an extensive “Star Wars” collection including life-size replicas of Jar Jar Binks, Chewbaca and other characters make the museum more like a funhouse than anything.

There are Hollywood and rock ’n’ roll displays full of Beatles memorabilia, movie set collectibles, concert posters and autographed photos of celebrities woven into the toyland experience.

And while most of the toys are behind glass cabinets there are some hands-on opportunities. Visitors can try on Darth Vader’s helmet or play early 20th-century penny arcade games.

There’s also a World War II display, an extensive collection of military figurines and copies of the royal Crown Jewels as well as a dinosaur display at the front entrance.

The eclectic combination delighted the Richards family, who spent a recent afternoon roaming around the museum and the adjacent Mountfitchet Castle, which is included in the price of admission to the museum.

“This is really impressive,” said Suzy Richards, 34, who took a trip down memory lane after eyeing a Cabbage Patch Kid. “It’s nice because there are things to entertain the adults too.”

But playtime doesn’t end after leaving the museum. While steeped in more traditional history, the castle next door is just as fun to explore. A replica of the wooden fortress built by the Normans in the 11th century, it is filled with talking mannequins and period objects. It is considered a National Historic monument by the British Department of the Environment.

Climb the watchtower, tour the grand hall, try on a chain mail hood or just meander through the picturesque landscape overlooking the Stort Valley. Making the scene a bit more real are all the animals roaming about, eager to be fed by visitors. While the sheep and deer have a tender approach, the flocks of hungry ducks, geese and chickens can be a bit intimidating.

But this complex is sure to please both the young and young at heart. Owned and operated by Allen Goldsmith and his son Jeremy, the attraction is well-kept and family-friendly.

“This is more than a business, it’s a passion,” said Allen Goldsmith, who opened the castle in 1985 after rebuilding the site nearly 20 years after buying the 12-acre property.

Goldsmith, who said he learned a lot about marketing from trips to U.S. tourist destinations, such as Las Vegas and Knott’s Berry Farm in California, opened the museum in 1990 in what was his former residence.

“We’ve got everything here. It’s a feel good atmosphere we’re trying to achieve here,” said Goldsmith, 68, a former concert and air show promoter. “It’s a daylight dream.”

Getting there

Location: 10 Grove Hill, Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex, CM24 8SP.

Price: 8.50 pounds for adults, 6.50 pounds for children.

Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

Parking: Make sure to pay the 80 pence at the park and display machine, otherwise you could leave with a 60 pound ticket.

Web site:www.stanstedtoymuseum.com