The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures Is the Largest Collection of Miniatures and Antique Toys

The fine details of the miniatures will amaze

The entrance to the National Museum of Toys and Miniatures, Kansas City, MO. Photo by Nightryder84, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

The main attractions at the National Museum of Toys and Miniatures are the world’s largest collection of miniatures and antique toys.

Some history of the museum

How did the Kansas City Toy and Miniature Museum gain national status? It began in 1982 and finally made its way to national status in 2015.

After creating more space and adding to a series of collections, the museum changed its name to the National Museum of Toys and Miniatures. Initially, a combined collection of two collectors, Mary Harris Francis (b. 1927, d. 2005) and Barbara Marshall (b. 1923, d.2021), was shared in an old mansion located at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) campus.

A uniformed bear stands guard outside the National Toy and Miniature Museum in Kansas City, MO. Photo by Sandover, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Since the museum’s initial display, its growth required more space. Over 72,000 items were displayed when it expanded again in 2004. In the museum, you’ll find vintage doll houses, wooden boats, and tin toys. Then, there are the very intricate miniatures with their…