Doll House Museums

There are doll house museums located all over the country. While many are larger museums that choose to display miniature amongst their other exhibits, there are a few that exclusively have miniature houses, miniature dolls and miniature furniture.

The Miniature Museum of Greater St. Louis is one such place. Created in 1989, the museum provides a hosting site for educational events of cultural relevance. In addition to its displays, The Miniature Museum of Greater St. Louis conducts workshops for hobbyists of all skill levels and abilities. Builders of miniature houses may also be interested in the “miniatures only” garage sale hosted here every year.

Located for many years within the Knott’s Berry Farm complex, Motts Miniatures is now located nearby in Fullerton, California. This historic company, founded by the Mott Family in 1911, features an extensive collection of miniature houses and miniature dolls. Allegra Mitchell’s fascination with miniature dolls began with ones that she would collect from Cracker Jack boxes. A few years later, after she had married a young man named DeWitt Mott, they began to share their love of miniature houses and DeWitt started to make them. Though the museum has had hard time staying open since leaving the Knott’s Berry farm facility, the shop that sells miniature supplies is still open and operational.

The doll house museums of Miniature Houses, located in Carmel, Indiana is a great place to view private collections and to attend events pertaining to miniature houses and the miniature furniture used to accessorize them. Founded in 1991, the museum is a non-profit organization supported by members and friends. Annual events and fundraisers also help to fund operating expenses. In addition to miniatures, the doll house museums also houses a number of books and periodicals on the topic. This literature is available for purchase.

Within the scope of the Chicago’s famous Museum of Science and Industry is Colleen Moore’s miniature Fairy Castle. Taking up an entire room with its size and scope, Moore has done more than just build a miniature dollhouse. She has created an entire world, complete with miniature houses, dolls and every conceivable amenity. By the time the castle was complete, over 700 craftsmen had worked on the project and it carried a price tag of over $500,000.

Within their Walterboro, South Carolina bed and breakfast, Diane Forde and her husband Henry Ruthinoski have created their own miniature museum. Miniature houses fill the real house in order to attract other miniature doll enthusiasts from across the globe. They have created an ideal setting by operating the museum within the scope of the bed and breakfast. Guests are free to spend as much time as they need to appreciate the full scope of the collection, and since they guests are sleeping in the museum, the collection of miniature houses never closes.

For more information on collectors doll houses Click doll house museums