Museum Exhibitions in Kansas City

Current Exhibitions

The Museum regularly features exhibitions that celebrate iconic figures, artistic mastery and innovation, and the cultural significance of play. These temporary installations highlight historically significant toys and fine-scale miniatures created with extraordinary precision, offering visitors a deeper understanding of their impact.

Upcoming Exhibitions

Take a look at the Museum’s upcoming exhibitions in Kansas City and find inspiration for your next visit. Each installation offers a fresh perspective on toys and miniatures, revealing new stories and remarkable artistry.

See Upcoming Exhibitions

Past Exhibitions

The Museum’s past exhibitions highlighted beloved toys, fine-scale miniatures, and cultural icons to celebrate creativity, art, and history.

See Past Exhibitions

Engage Beyond the Exhibition

Each exhibition is more than just a display—it’s an immersive experience. The Museum frequently hosts special events, expert talks, and interactive programs tied to featured exhibitions.

From artist discussions and behind-the-scenes presentations to hands-on workshops and exhibition launch events, these programs offer visitors unique opportunities to engage with the collection.

See Event Calendar

Understanding Toys and Miniatures

Toys and miniatures may share similarities in size, but their purpose, craftsmanship, and cultural significance set them apart.

Toys are designed for play, entertainment, and education, encouraging imagination and interaction. Whether it’s a set of action figures or a vintage board game, toys reflect the way children and adults engage with the world around them.

Miniatures, on the other hand, are works of art, created for display, collection, or modeling. These finely crafted, small-scale artworks capture real-world objects with remarkable accuracy and skill. Exquisitely detailed miniature rooms and houses, or model trains, miniatures showcase artistry, craftsmanship, and historical narratives.

Unlike toys, miniatures are not designed for hands-on play but rather to be admired, studied, and appreciated for their precision and detail. Many take years to create, using specialized techniques and materials that are inspired by their full-sized counterparts.

Miniatures as an Art Form

Fine-scale miniatures, displayed on the first floor of the Museum, push the boundaries of artistry, requiring exceptional skill and patience. Each piece is a testament to artistic innovation, whether it is a scaled-down architectural interior, an intricately carved musical instrument, or a well-known painting.

Artists work in exacting proportions, often following a 1:6, 1:12 scale or smaller, ensuring that every detail—from wood grain to brushstrokes—is meticulously rendered.

Preserving History Through Toys

Found on the second floor, the Museum’s toy collection reflects the evolution of play across generations. These objects hold stories of childhood, creativity, and innovation. From handcrafted wooden dolls to early mechanical toys, each piece offers a glimpse into cultural history, shedding light on how play has shaped society over time.

Both toys and miniatures represent more than their physical form—they embody craftsmanship, history, and the joy of imagination in their own unique ways.

The Museum’s Mission and Vision

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

Its vision embraces a dynamic fusion of creativity and storytelling, showcasing toys and miniatures of both artistic mastery and historical significance.

By offering not just collections but expansive museum exhibitions in Kansas City, the Museum aims to educate the community on these historically significant artifacts.