Midwest Miniatures

I've had this museum on my radar for awhile and finally got a chance to visit recently. I'm so happy we went because it really blew me away. I love anything miniature, so this was such a cool museum to see.

Nate and I were greeted upon entry and given an overview of the museum, which was really helpful. We even got a scavenger hunt and a flashlight to really immerse us in the exhibits. Entry was $8 per adult which I think is really reasonable.

The exhibits range from small items like miniature dolls and toys, room-boxes, and historical reproductions to the large and very impressive Lynnwood House, which was my favorite piece. Also on display was a replica of Van Gogh's home and studio.

I absolutely loved finding little details, especially in the Lynnwood House - it's really mind blowing to think about the work that goes into making this art. I've never seen a museum totally dedicated to miniatures so this is a special spot. It seems that they have plans to expand the museum, which is in a beautiful historical home.

This museum isn't large by any means but it's a cute and fun stop. The miniatures are amazing. There was one person manning the museum while we were there. We did a scavenger hunt in which you get a little lollipop in the end for finishing. The gift shop is small. It's a few built in shelves of goods. There are restrooms and a kids playroom in the back. I was told they are considering expanding to the second floor but they need an elevator installed first.

Such a lovely little museum. Everything was beautiful and perfect. Super clean, the lady working at the desk was very nice and friendly. I highly recommend going here. It is quirky, cute and magical!!!!

We were looking for something unusual to do as we drove by Kalamazoo one Sunday morning and the Midwest Miniatures Museum was the perfect stop. It's run by volunteers and located in an old farmhouse by the Gilmore Car Museum.

After a beautiful drive through the autumnal countryside, we were treated to rooms bursting with miniature houses, scenes, and objects. Some were historical, like the recreation of Van Gogh's house at Arles and an Irish cottage. Others were inspired by history, like the walk around 1960s house. And others were pure fantasy, like the fairy tree house and Mary Fisher's French rooms. Don't miss the Noah's Ark collection in the bathroom!

We got a tour from Nick, who was knowledgeable and enthusiastic, then walked around some more to look in more detail. We loved it and might return with our kids in the future.

I'm a sucker for tiny versions of regular things, so when I saw that there was a miniature museum close by when we were in Michigan, I wanted to stop in.
There was no admission fee to get in to Midwest Miniatures, however donations are of course appreciated. There was about a handful of rooms with cases or houses filled with tiny objects. They had some really great intricate items in some of the houses, including a tiny little silver soap holder that balanced on the edge of a bathtub.
Many of the collections were noted to be from the same person, and we learned from the young man who was greeting people that a couple of the houses are replicas of real properties in Europe, although one of the properties was destroyed in the war.
There were a few items that were more cutesy than traditional miniatures to me, but if you are a fan of miniatures and are nearby I think you would enjoy spending a few minutes at Midwest Miniatures. It's also within walking distance of the car museum nearby.