Mission Statement
The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures educates, inspires, and delights adults and children through the museum’s collection and preservation of toys and miniatures.
Learn more about the history of the museum in a short introduction video.
HISTORY
T/m 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. T/m’s collection currently numbers more than 93,000 objects – and counting.
Today, T/m is a place where art meets history and every visitor leaves 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
ADMINISTRATION
CURATORIAL AND COLLECTIONS
Museum Registrar
816.235.8008LEARNING AND ENGAGEMENT
Madeline Rislow, Sr. Manager of Learning and Engagement
rislowm@toyandminiaturemuseum.org 816.235.8004
EARNED REVENUE AND VISITOR SERVICES
Ash Wood, Earned Revenue and Visitor Services Manager
ashleewood@toyandminiaturemuseum.org 816.235.8007
Milica Acamovic, Visitor Services Representative
milicaacamovic@toyandminiaturemuseum.org 816.235.8010
April Cowan, Visitor Services Assistant
816.235.8010
Everett Dufur, Visitor Services Assistant
816.235.8010
Tayt Tillman, Visitor Services Assistant
816.235.8010board 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!
Marketing Strategist
The purpose of this role is to support T/m’s mission to reach new and returning audiences and donors through marketing and communication initiatives. The Marketing Strategist is responsible for planning, development, and implementation of T/m’s strategies for communications and public relations activities. The Marketing Strategist is the first point of contact with the media and works on developing and strengthening media relationships. THIS POSITION REMAINS OPEN UNTIL FILLED with an initial review date of April 27, 2023. APPLY ONLINE at www.umkc.edu/jobs / Job # 46125 or click the orange arrow below for a direct link.
Marketing StrategistDirector of Development
The purpose of this role is to support T/m’s mission by developing and implementing the museum’s strategic fundraising goals. As part of the Management Team, the Director of Development will coordinate and implement a fundraising strategy for individuals, foundations, and corporate support throughout the Kansas City region and nationally. The Director of Development will work with the Executive Director to operationalize, oversee, and expand fundraising activities for T/m. THIS POSITION REMAINS OPEN UNTIL FILLED, APPLICATIONS ARE NOW BEING ACCEPTED. Apply online at www.umkc.edu/jobs / Job # 45534 or click the orange arrow below for a direct link.
Director of Development
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
