About PEZ Visitor Center
Behind an ordinary industrial exterior in Orange, Connecticut, the PEZ Visitor Center celebrates one of the strangest marriages of candy and character merchandising ever created. More than 4,000 square feet are packed with dispensers, advertisements, packaging, factory artifacts, and nearly every variation of the spring-loaded candy toy imaginable.
PEZ began in Austria in 1927 as a compressed peppermint candy marketed as an alternative to smoking. The name was formed from letters in the German word for peppermint, PfeffErminZ. Character heads arrived later, transforming a modest breath mint into a collectible object that could resemble cartoon stars, presidents, monsters, animals, or almost anything else.
The center claims the largest public display of PEZ memorabilia in the world. Visitors can study early metal dispensers, rare licensed characters, unusual international releases, and prototypes that never became common store items. A PEZ-themed motorcycle and an interactive historical timeline add to the joyful excess.
A window looks into the working production area, where the familiar candy bricks are made and packaged. The factory itself is not entered on the standard visit, but the view connects the museum collection to the still-active business operating beside it. A store carries current dispensers, refills, and exclusives.
Visitor info: The center is near Interstate 95 in Orange with on-site parking. Hours, admission, production visibility, and holiday closures can change, so check the official PEZ page before visiting.