Toland-Herzig Famous Endings Museum, Dover

About Toland-Herzig Famous Endings Museum

The Toland-Herzig Famous Endings Museum in Dover, Ohio, displays one of the world's largest collections of funeral-related artifacts and memorabilia, numbering over 2,500 pieces. The collection began in 1996 when John Herzig received a funeral program from boxer Joe Louis and became fascinated with documenting famous deaths. Visitors examine folders, photographs, and documents from the funerals of U.S. presidents including Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, and Ronald Reagan, as well as world leaders like Winston Churchill and Queen Victoria. The museum also features materials from celebrities such as Michael Jackson, Liberace, and Fred Rogers, plus sports figures including Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, and Knute Rockne. Additional holdings include audio recordings and photographs from famous funerals, along with celebrity gravesite markers and monuments that Herzig has personally visited. The museum is open to the public during normal office hours Monday through Friday. Group presentations and guided tours led by John Herzig are available, with each artifact accompanied by its own historical story.