Miniature Events, Museums and Websites
As the U.S. gets COVID19 somewhat under control, businesses and museums are opening back up. Undoubtedly, you – like me- are anxious to get out and do stuff. Therefore, I provide you with the following information:
- Websites to view and drool over famous dollhouses by skilled artisans and collectors
- Events to go to view and buy miniatures (includes events with workshops)
- Museums to visit and view miniatures in person.
While the listings below are ones that I currently know about, I plan to update this list. Therefore, if you know of any events, museums, or websites that I should add, please contact me.
Three Websites to View Dollhouses and Miniature Collections
http://www.astolatdollhousecastle.com/gallery/
In NYC, this fabulous 9-foot tall dollhouse is supposed to open for limited public viewing sometime in the next year. If you don’t know, this dollhouse has been appraised at $8.5 MILLION USD. As you can imagine, the Asolat dollhouse castle is a stunning work of art, with a weapons room, a wizard’s tower, and much more. Since many of us cannot travel to NYC, there are some pretty cool pictures of the castle at the link above.
https://www.msichicago.org/explore/whats-here/exhibits/colleen-moores-fairy-castle/
The famous Fairy Castle by silent film actress Colleen Moore is displayed at the Chicago Museum of Science + Industry. Created in the 1930s, the Fairy Castle houses remarkable miniatures and artifacts. It was donated to the Museum in 1949.
https://www.artic.edu/artists/26086/narcissa-niblack-thorne
Upcoming Events (2021)
The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, has a collection of miniatures from Narcissa Niblack Thorne (1882-1966). Narcissa Niblack Thorne, aka Mrs. James Ward Thorne, is a famous philanthropist and patroness of the arts. She first began collecting miniatures as a child. Apparently, her uncle, Rear Admiral Niblack, sent young Narcissa, miniatures he found during his travels. This piqued her lifelong interest in miniatures.
A list of miniature shows can be found here. Note, many planned shows have been canceled or rescheduled due to COVID19. A couple of events you may to consider in 2022 are:
Denver Museum of Miniatures, Dolls, and Toys – Holds shows in the fall. Visit dmmdt.org
I attended this miniature show back in the 1990s. During one of the excellent workshops, I made my first room box display and miniature toys.
The Good Sam Show in San Jose, CA – Visit https://goodsamshowcase.org/
Seven Museums to Visit in the U.S.
Denver Museum of Miniatures, Dolls, and Toys in Lakewood, Colorado. For more information, check out dmmtd.org. As I previously mentioned, I attended my first miniature show in Denver at this museum. However, the location of the museum changed a few years ago. I am considering flying to Denver and checking out the show and museum this September.
The Mini Time Machine in Tucson, Arizona. For more information, check out theminitimemachine.org. As I mentioned in another post, I visited this museum in 2015. It was a nice collection of miniatures by some of the best artisans in the U.S.
The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures in Kansas City, Missouri. For more information, go to toyandminiaturemuseum.org Because this museum states that it’s the “world’s largest collection of fine-scale miniatures and one of the largest collections of historic toys currently on public display,” I want to check it out!
The Great American Dollhouse Museum of Danville, Kentucky. For more information, visit
thedollhousemuseum.com. Unfortunately, this museum appears to be closed currently due to COVID-19.
The Museum of Miniature Houses and Other Collections Inc. in Carmel, Indiana. For more information, check out museumofminiatures.org Additionally, this museum also has an online virtual gallery.
Midwest Miniatures Museum in Hickory Corners, Michigan. For more information, visit
midwestminiaturesmuseum.com. Unfortunately, the website states “PERMANENTLY CLOSED AT HICKORY CORNERS. RE-OPENING DATE IN GRAND HAVEN, MICHIGAN TO BE ANNOUNCED.” Hopefully, the relocation will happen and the museum will reopen.
Kathleen Savage Browning Miniatures Collection in Maysville, Kentucky. For more information, go to
ksbminiaturescollection.com. This museum is open. I love the fact that there is a “Miniature of the Month” section. For example, the June 2021 “Miniature of the month” is WILDLIFE REFUGE ANIMALS by Kerri Pajutee.
