Current Exhibits
Transformations: New Perspectives on the Art of Miniatures
The exhibit highlights the work of four contemporary artists who use miniatures in their artistic process to explore powerful topics related to the impact of humans on our world. The artists are, as follows: Amy Bennett – paintings, Lori Nix + Kathleen Gerber – photographs, and Carol K. Rasaphangthong – video.
Find out more
Featured Manufacturer Gallery / Long-term Exhibit
This gallery features changing exhibits showcasing a specific toy manufacturer. Currently, the exhibit focuses on...
Find out more
Optical Toys / Long-term Exhibit
Take a peek at the history of optical toys from Peep Shows through ViewMaster. The...
Find out more
Let’s Play House / Long-term Exhibit
Can you imagine playing with a dollhouse that is over 9 feet tall? The 9’...
Find out more
Iconic Toys / Long-term Exhibit
Whether you were born in 1945 or 1995, or any time in between, you’ll find...
Find out more
Miniature Maze / Long-term Exhibit
Wind your way through a maze of miniature rooms and be a-mazed at what you...
Find out more
Toys From the Attic / Long-term Exhibit
Once, when we were children and the world was full of wonder, toys were the...
Find out more
English Cotswold Cottage, 1933-34 / Long-term Exhibit
This miniature room by Narcissa Niblack Thorne is one of the first set of rooms, made before she embarked on sets two and three that are on display at the Art Institute of Chicago. The room was exhibited at the Columbian Exposition in Chicago (1934) and The Golden Gate International Exposition in San Francisco (1940). From the early 1960s until 2019, the location of the room was unknown.
Find out more
In the Artist’s Studio / Long-term Exhibit
Have you ever wondered how miniatures are made? Your questions are answered In the Artist’s...
Find out more
Masterpiece Gallery / Long-term Exhibit
Museum co-founder Barbara Hall Marshall had a vision for a special room to display 31...
Find out more
Toys, Inc. / Long-term Exhibit
Toy production mirrors the innovations, triumphs, and conflicts of a swiftly changing world. Evolving over...
Find out more
Miniature Art Museum / Long-term Exhibit
The 17-1/2’ long work, created by Los Angeles-based artist Chris Toledo, is comprised of a central atrium and five galleries. The atrium features various classical Greek and Roman architectural elements, which Toledo derived from his observations of design and construction at a number of historic museums throughout the world.
Find out more
Art of the Imagination Case
Stephen T. Johnson’s creative and whimsical approach to the alphabet is featured in the Art...
Find out moreUpcoming Exhibits
Portraits of Childhood: Black Dolls from the Collection of Deborah Neff
Portraits of Childhood: Black Dolls from the Collection of Deborah Neff explores themes of race,...
Find out morePast Exhibits
Bridging the Gender Divide: Toys That Build STEM Skills
From chemistry to construction, toys have prepared generations of kids to pursue careers in STEM...
Find out more
Parlor Performances: Theatrical Toys for Home Play
This special exhibit features a variety of toys, dating primarily from 1880 to 1980, that...
Find out more
The Doll Gallery
Thirty-five new dolls are on exhibit, including a Queen Anne-style doll (1750-1800); Baby Moss, a...
Find out more
Toys
The toy collection documents society’s cultural beliefs, technological advancements, and the hopes and dreams of generations of children from the 18th century to the present.
Exhibits such as the award-winning Toys from the Attic: Stories of American Childhood examine the role toys play in providing comfort, and teaching skills. Stories collected and told through children’s point of view encourage visitors to think about the meaning of their own toys and fuel conversations about childhood and the importance of memories.
Explore ToysMiniatures
T/m’s fine-scale miniature collection includes architectural works, room settings, fine art, decorative art, tools, equipment, and figures made to scale (usually 1:12). These miniatures are often working reproductions of objects in the full-scale world created by master artists.
Visitors can peek into Louis XV’s study at the Palace at Versailles, an Italian Renaissance studio, or a Boston Beacon Hill mansion, all without leaving Kansas City. Interactive areas such as In the Artist’s Studio highlight the ingenuity and skill miniature artists employ to create their intricately detailed works.
Explore Miniatures