The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures is one of the nation’s largest collections of old toys and miniatures. With the collection of 51,000 toys and 21,000 fine-scale miniatures growing, the museum combines toy preservation and education on hundreds of years of children’s play.
(Madelyn Riffee)
As an avid lover of toys and nostalgia, this hidden gem was a welcome weekend adventure. I made it my mission to find my childhood among others when I decided to go. I also brought my family who enjoy museums to experience it with me.
The museum was established in 1982 and began as a collection by Mary Harris Francis and Barbra Hall Marshall. Over the years, the collection expanded by tens of thousands in toys and miniatures and received Leadership in History Merit awards from the American Association for State and Local History in 2016 and 2018.
Upon entering guests are greeted by the Toytisserie Sculpture, a tall rotating sculpture of race cars, train tracks, legos, animal figures, teddy bears and board games.
The sculpture was like an enlarged page from children’s I Spy books. I found some toys, like Mr. Potato Head and Candy Land, that looked like they were plucked from my childhood.
The first floor includes their gallery of fine-scale miniatures. Fine-scale is the smallest scale of miniatures, usually the size of a cherry or smaller. These figures feature furniture, tiny jewelry, scenes of people, food and houses.
Some exhibits include the fine-scales of assorted objects, some of which are accompanied by their full-scale inspirations. The Masterpiece Gallery includes the pieces that have the most detail, the French Gallery has french-inspired furniture miniatures.
One of the most notable parts of the miniatures section is the Miniature Maze, which includes full mini-remakings of rooms, buildings and objects found in everyday life.
Traveling upstairs, the second floor includes the toy sections. Dolls, dollhouses, collections of toys from across the years and a hallway of the most iconic toys make up the section.
The exhibit of Iconic Toys is where I found most toys from when I was younger. Lite-Brite, Hungry-Hungry Hippos, Webkinz, even Monster High Dolls and robotic hamster Zhu-Zhu Pets were included. Although my mission was complete, I had to see more.
Nearby is the award-winning Toys from the Attic section, composed of toys enclosed in illustrated cases and armoire, and several canvases detailing the different functions of toys. Toys are listed as a foundational relationship for children, a source of comfort and security. They are a way for children to learn to grow up.
The gallery that is currently the museum’s special exhibit is Portraits of Childhood: Black Dolls. This large section displays the history and experience of Black childhood in America and the evolution of Black dolls. Personal experiences, stories of toys, poems and photographs are all presented in this section.
My favorite part was this section. What stuck with me was learning about childhood from a different perspective and gaining a deeper understanding of how important it is for toys to look like you.
The museum stresses the importance of preservation and understanding history. Toys and miniatures are paramount to society as both an experience and art. This museum exhibits that in a fun and educational way.
When I attended I was pleasantly surprised that the tickets I had bought for my family were refunded. It was part of their Second Sunday Free Day at the Museum on Sept. 8.
Ticketing at the museum varies in price, at most $10 per person. With a UMKC ID, students, faculty and staff can attend for free.
Sitting beside UMKC’s Epperson House at 5235 Oak St. in Kansas City, the museum is open Wednesday through Monday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
