Old Salem Museums & Gardens employs more than 200 people and operates over four museums, retail department, book publishing arm, research center and nearly 10 gardens. The museum also rents its site for special events, including weddings. Its gift shop offers books, paper products, historic maps and toys. The museum s research center has a collection of more than 75,000 files that provides opportunities to learn about objects, lifestyles and beliefs of people living in the early South. Its library includes more than 20,000 rare books, periodicals and manuscripts. The museum also organizes events, such as book signings, furniture seminars, holiday activities, Halloween and garden events. Located in Winston Salem, N.C., and founded in 1950, the museum s toy center provides more than 1,200 European and American toys, including ships, marbles, games, puzzles, cars, trains, dolls and puppets.