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.
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.
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1982
T/m was established as the Miniature Museum of Kansas City
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1989
Museum expansion
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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
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2005
Mary Harris Francis (co-founder) passes away
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2010
Barbara Hall Marshall (founder) retires
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2012
The museum embarked on its first public capital campaign to raise $10.2 million to support building and exhibit improvements
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2014
Raising $10.73 million, the museum began a 19-month renovation
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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
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2016
Toys from the Attic exhibit receives Leadership in History Merit Award from the American Association of State and Local History
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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
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2021
Barbara Hall Marshall (co-founder) passes away
our staff
Everett Dufur, Strategic Initiative Coordinator
Nathan Ford, Visitor Services Representative
Elise Hanson, Visitor Services Representative
Thomas Kelly, Strategic Initiative Coordinator
Madeline Rislow, Curator/ Sr. Manager of Learning and Engagement
rislowm@toyandminiaturemuseum.org 816.235.8004
Tayt Tillman, Strategic Initiative Coordinator
Ash Wood, Earned Revenue and Visitor Services Manager
ashleewood@toyandminiaturemuseum.org 816.235.8007board of directors
MUSEUM FOUNDERS/ Mary Harris Francis, Barbara Marshall
OFFICERS/ Corey Ziegler (Chair), Lori Beam (Past Chair), William A. Hall (Treasurer), Rachel Sterbenz (Secretary)
BOARD OF DIRECTORS/ Dr. Antonio Byrd, Wolfe Brack, Troy Lillebo, Anne Manning, Teresa Martinez, Margaret McGuiness, Saralyn Reece Hardy, Susan Stanton, Jean-Paul Wong
COMMITTEE MEMBERS/ Julia Gargallo, Julia Jackson, Bob Simmons, Carla Smocks
HONORARY DIRECTORS EMERITI/ J. Scott Francis, David Francis, Margaret Silva
Careers
Thank you for your interest in working at The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures. T/m is committed to attracting, developing, and retaining a highly qualified workforce and offers a variety of career opportunities. At T/m, employment is much more than just work. 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 T/m team today!
Part Time Gallery Attendant
The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures is seeking a detail-oriented, candidate to fulfill the role of temporary Gallery Attendant. This contract position is open now through May with the possibility of an extension. Often described as one of the best museums in Kansas City, T/m is striving to reach new audiences to share the world’s largest collection of fine-scale miniatures and the largest collection of antique toys on public display. T/m’s mission is to educate, inspire, and delight adults and children through the museum’s collection and preservation of toys and miniatures. The purpose of this role is to support T/m’s mission, strategy, and DEAI goals by providing exceptional hospitality and visitor experiences to all individuals and groups visiting the museum. The ideal candidate will possess an optimistic, welcoming attitude as well as strong attention to detail, communication, multi-tasking, problem-solving skills, and the ability to work collaboratively with other museum staff. For more information and to apply, please visit the link.
Part Time Gallery Attendant
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
