The Museum of Miniature Houses and Other Collections, Inc.

Our Museum

The Museum has hosted more than 106,000 visitors since its opening in 1993, who come from all over the United States and an average of a dozen foreign countries each year. We are a museum of fine art in miniature. The Museum is one of only a few museums in the country that is devoted to the art of fine scale miniature.

The museum’s collection contains thousands of miniatures including room boxes, miniature houses, and exquisite individual items. Also included are collections that may be tiny or full size. These rotate throughout the year.

What We Offer

Visitor amenities include chairs in every room for resting, stools in every room for seeing high-placed items, magnifying glass in every room for a closer look, free audio tour for more information on selected displays, three levels of scavenger hunts for children, a fairy door for making wishes, and a dollhouse on the floor for play. Guided tours are available upon request and in advance.

What Are Miniatures?

Miniature houses are exact replicas of the real thing, unlike a dollhouse that is designed as a plaything. A miniature chair will look exactly like a life-sized chair, only much smaller.

Miniatures are reality reduced to scale, usually 1:12 (or 1″ to 1′) but also commonly a/s” and 1/4″ scales. In addition, a miniature should be historically correct, accurately reproducing in detail the era it depicts. The precise sale, historical accuracy, and fine craftsmanship of most miniature houses make them magical tiny renditions of the real world.

Our Story

Three Indiana artisans created the museum in order to preserve and display scale miniatures and antique dollhouses, and to introduce this art form to others. The vision of these three women was to ensure that collections of quality miniature room settings, houses, and individual pieces would not be lost to future generations.

Children comprise one-quarter of museum visitorship. Through miniatures, children learn the concept of architectural scale, the decorative arts, and the importance of detail.

Whether it’s the miniature reproduction of Hoosier athlete Major Taylor’s bicycle or an example of the beauty of the exterior architecture of a Victorian home, the Museum of Miniature Houses is a fantastic place for adults and children to enjoy the arts, history, and crafts. Museum exhibits change often.

Exhibits

VISITORS ARE ADMITTED VIA A TIMED ENTRY SYSTEM.

Participation in Museum Day is open to any tax-exempt or governmental museum or cultural venue on a voluntary basis. Smithsonian magazine encourages museum visitation, but is not responsible for and does not endorse the content of the participating museums and cultural venues, and does not subsidize museums that participate.