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Meet Your Museum

Museum Exterior_2015

Founders Mary Harris Francis and Barbara Hall Marshall

The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures Exterior

Miniature Paintings in the Miniature Art Museum

MISSION

The mission of The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures is to educate, inspire, and delight people of all ages by collecting, displaying, and interpreting toys and miniatures that illuminate diverse narratives and cultural heritage.

VISION

The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures ignites curiosity and imagination through transformative experiences. In collaboration with our communities, we explore the meaning and significance of how art and play give meaning to our society and highlight our shared history through the lenses of miniatures and toys.

Learn more about the history of the Museum in a short introduction video HERE.

Rooster-Skittles

HISTORY

The Museum was established in 1982 as the Toy and Miniature Museum of Kansas City, featuring the collections of Mary Harris Francis and Barbara Hall Marshall. Operating in the historic Tureman Mansion on the corner of 52nd and Oak on the University of Missouri-Kansas City campus, the 7,500-square-foot museum had two full-time staff members.

Over the next 30 years with expansions in 1989 and 2004, the Museum grew to 33,000 square feet. During the same period, the collection increased to over 72,000 objects. In 2012, the Museum embarked on its first public capital campaign to raise $10.2 million to support building and exhibit improvements. The campaign raised $10.73 million, and the Museum began a 19-month renovation in 2014.

The Museum reopened as The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures on August 1, 2015, with the world’s largest fine-scale miniature collection and one of the nation’s largest historic toy collections on public display. The Museum’s collection currently numbers more than 93,000 objects – and counting.

Today, the Museum is a place where art meets history and every visitor leaves feeling a little younger.

Mary Harris Francis Biography

Barbara Marshall Biography

  1. 1982

    The Museum was established as the Miniature Museum of Kansas City

  2. 1989

    Museum expansion

  3. 2004

    The Museum grew to 33,000 square feet during another expansion. With this expansion, the Museum was able to increase its collection to feature over 72,000 objects

  4. 2005

    Mary Harris Francis (co-founder) passes away

  5. 2010

    Barbara Hall Marshall (founder) retires

  6. 2012

    The Museum embarked on its first public capital campaign to raise $10.2 million to support building and exhibit improvements

  7. 2014

    Raising $10.73 million, the Museum began a 19-month renovation

  8. 2015

    The Museum reopened as The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures, with the world's largest fine-scale miniature collection and one of the nation's largest historic toy collections on public display

  9. 2016

    Toys from the Attic exhibit receives Leadership in History Merit Award from the American Association of State and Local History

  10. 2018

    Playing for Keeps: The VFW Marble Tournaments, 1947-1962, exhibit receives Leadership in History Merit Award from the American Association of State and Local History

  11. 2021

    Barbara Hall Marshall (co-founder) passes away

our staff

ADMINISTRATION

Petra Kralickova, Executive Director
kralickovap@toyandminiaturemuseum.org 816.235.8001
Sonia Smith, Strategic Administrative Coordinator
soniasmith@toyandminiaturemuseum.org 816.235.8019

MARKETING

Nicholette Haigler, Marketing Strategist
nicholettehaigler@toyandminiaturemuseum.org 816.235.8009

DEVELOPMENT

Jill Grotzinger, Director of Development
jillgrotzinger@toyandminiaturemuseum.org 816.235.8006

COLLECTION/ LEARNING & ENGAGEMENT

Calleen Carver, Collections Manager
carverc@toyandminiaturemuseum.org 816.235.8003
Amy McKune, Curator/ Sr. Manager of Collections
mckunea@toyandminiaturemuseum.org 816.235.8002
Madeline Rislow, Curator/ Sr. Manager of Learning and Engagement
rislowm@toyandminiaturemuseum.org 816.235.8004
Rachel Wathen, Museum Educator, Volunteers and Group Tours
rachelwathen@toyandminiaturemuseum.org 816.235.8011
Faith Ordonio, Museum Educator, K-12 and Family Programs
faithordonio@toyandminiaturemuseum.org 816.235.8005
The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures
Carlos Ortiz-Gallo, Curatorial Fellow

VISITOR SERVICES

Mandy Farrow, Lead Visitor Services Representative
farrowma@toyandminiaturemuseum.org 816.235.8015
The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures
Elisabeth Barber, Visitor Services Representative
Teddy Bear at The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures
Taylor Roy, Visitor Services Representative

WORK-STUDY STUDENTS

Slinky Dog at The Museum
Zakiya Ramzan
Space Ship at The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures
Everett Dufur

board of directors

MUSEUM FOUNDERS/ Mary Harris Francis, Barbara Marshall

OFFICERS/ Corey Ziegler (Chair), Anne Manning (Vice Chair), William A. Hall (Treasurer), Rachel Sterbenz (Secretary)

BOARD OF DIRECTORS/ Elizabeth Amirahmadi, Dr. Antonio Byrd, Wolfe Brack, Troy Lillebo, Teresa Martinez, Margaret McGuiness, Albert P. Mauro, Jr.,  Saralyn Reece Hardy, Susan Stanton, Jean-Paul Wong

COMMITTEE MEMBERS/ Dr. Kristen Barber, Lori Beam, Eric Bosch, Maria Vasquez Boyd, Julia Gargallo, Julia Jackson, Bob Simmons, Carla Smocks, Emily Wegner

HONORARY DIRECTORS EMERITI/ J. Scott Francis, David Francis, Margaret Silva

Mable dixon steiff bear

Careers

Thank you for your interest in working at The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures. The Museum is committed to attracting, developing, and retaining a highly qualified workforce and offers a variety of career opportunities. At The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures, employees enrich and develop their love of museums, history, and art while contributing their specific skills and talents to the museum mission. The Museum is an equal opportunity employer. For more information on our diversity mission, visit the Office of Diversity and Inclusion website. Join the team today!

Fill-In Visitor Services Representative

The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures is seeking flexible and detail-oriented candidates for a Fill-In Visitor Services Representative role, which provides support when regular Visitor Services Representatives are unavailable and/or when additional Visitor Services staff is needed. This is fill-in position with availability primarily needed on weekends (Saturdays and Sundays from 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM) and additional possible hours on weekdays (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM) as needed. Compensation $15.00 per hour, based on experience, education, and internal equity. Application This position will remain open until filled, with applications reviewed immediately. Apply by sending your letter of interest, resume and schedule of availability to Mandy Farrow, Lead Visitor Services Representative at farrowma@toyandminiaturemuseum.org

FULL POSITION DESCRIPTION

Spring/Summer 2025 Research Fellows

The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures invites applicants for spring and summer semester 2025 Research Fellows. These paid positions will play an integral part in a project funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services to make the Museum’s collection more accessible in digital format. Working with existing collecting records in PastPerfect Web Edition, the Research Fellow is responsible for conducting more in-depth investigation to enhance the interpretation of the collection. This includes drafting object ID labels and narrative/didactic text. Please submit a cover letter, CV/resume, and three references by November 10, 2024 (spring applicants), or February 23, 2025 (summer applicants) at 11:59PM to: Amy McKune, Curator / Senior Manager of Collections, mckunea@toyandminiaturemuseum.org.

FULL POSITION DESCRIPTION

UMKC Work Study

The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures invites applicants for fall semester 2024 work study positions. Please apply on Handshake or submit a cover letter, CV/resume, and three references to: Petra Kralickova, Executive Director at kralickovap@toyandminiaturemuseum.org

tilt top table

press

For further information or to schedule a press visit, please contact by email at info@toyandminiaturemuseum.org or call 816.235.8009.

PRESS KITS
Museum Fact Sheet 2023

PHOTOGRAPHY
For high-resolution images of the Museum and collection, please email to info@toyandminiaturemuseum.org or call 816.235.8009.

Please review the Museum’s photography rights and permissions.

ANNUAL REPORTS & FINANCIALS
2018 Audit
2018 990
2019 Audit
2019 990
2020 Audit
2020 990
2021 Audit
2021 990
2022 Audit
2022 990

 

Recent News

2024's Impact Report
November Newsletter
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