Saturday Morning Cartoons
Saturday, April 14, 2018 | 10AM-12PM
Remember those long weekend mornings enjoying entertaining cartoons and delicious cereal in your cozy pajamas? Now is your chance to relive those days with classic Saturday morning cartoons from the 1980s and 90s. Wear your PJs if you want; we’ll serve up the cereal. Included with museum admission. Free for museum members. Space is limited, so RSVPs are required. Call (816) 235-8005 or email mercierk@toyandminiaturemuseum.org to reserve your spot.
PLEASE NOTE: The Rock the Parkway half-marathon and 5K is taking place Saturday morning. Ward Parkway will be inaccessible (to 51st St.) from 7:30am until around 11:00am.
If you are coming to T/m Saturday morning, please take an alternate route. If you are traveling east to west, or west to east, drive south to Bannister Road or 95th Street on the south side, or up to the Plaza on the north side. State Line Road will be open. Here’s a map of the race route: http://www.rocktheparkway.com/files/RockTheParkway-Maps.pdf
If you have any issues reaching the museum, please call 816-235-8010 for directions.
Meet the Experts: View-Masters with Curator Amy McKune
Sunday, April 08, 2018 | 2-3PM
Get to know the experts at The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures through this monthly exploration of special topics. On April 8, Curator of Collections Amy McKune will trace the history of this optical toy and share how she captured three-dimensional digital images and turned them into View-Master reels. Included with museum admission. Free for museum members.
Mibsters in Training: Spring Break Marble Craft
Thursday, March 29, 2018 | 1-3:30PM
"Playing for Keeps" event
Create a special marble craft to take home! On March 15 and 29, kids of all ages can create a special necklace or key chain made out of a crackled marble. On March 22, make a forever friend by crafting an animal using clay and marbles. Included with museum admission. Free for museum members.
Creepy Crawler Workshop
Sunday, March 25, 2018 | 1-4PM
Included with Museum Admission. Free for Members.
Step back in time to experience the fun of pouring liquid goop into metal molds to create creepy insects, creatures, and figures. Spend the afternoon making three “crawlers” with the toy Time magazine included in its list of the 100 most influential toys. $5 museum admission includes all materials, but the workshop can accommodate only 15 people so reservations are required. Call (816) 235-8005 or email mercierk@toyandminiaturemuseum.org to reserve a spot. Please note, due to the use of hot surfaces, participants must be eight years of age or older and accompanied by an adult.
Mibsters in Training: Spring Break Marble Craft
Thursday, March 22, 2018 | 1-3:30PM
"Playing for Keeps" event
Create a special marble craft to take home! On March 15 and 29, kids of all ages can create a special necklace or keychain made out of a crackled marble. On March 22, make a forever friend by crafting an animal using clay and marbles. Included with museum admission.
Mibsters in Training: Spring Break Marble Craft
Thursday, March 15, 2018 | 1-3:30PM
"Playing for Keeps" event
Create a special marble craft to take home! On March 15 and 29, kids of all ages can create a special necklace or key chain made out of a crackled marble. On March 22, make a forever friend by crafting an animal using clay and marbles. Included with museum admission. Free for museum members.
Mibsters in Training: Spring Break Marble Lessons
Monday, March 12, 2018 — Friday, March 30, 2018 | 10:30AM and 1:30PM daily (Museum closed Tuesdays)
"Playing for Keeps" event
Don’t miss your chance to become a“mibster” (aka marble player)! Join a trained mibster March 12 through 30 for daily marble lessons. Learn the art of knuckling down and practice shooting marbles out of a ring in T/m’s special exhibit, Playing for Keeps. Work on your skills before the Kansas City Marble Tournament on June 9! Marble lessons will occur daily at 10:30am and 1:30pm. (Museum closed Tuesdays.) Included with museum admission. Free for museum members.
Meet the Experts: Toymaker Donna Moore
Sunday, March 11, 2018 | 2-3PM
Get to know the experts at The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures through this monthly exploration of special topics. On March 11, meet Donna Moore, the Kansas City toy designer who created iconic plush toys in the 1980s and 1990s. Moore will speak about her design process, her inspiration, and the stories behind some of her most popular toys. Program includes a lecture and gallery visit. Included with museum admission.
Board Game Night for Grown-ups: Marble Madness
Friday, February 23, 2018 | 6-9PM
"Playing for Keeps" event
It’s time to find your marbles! Bring your friends and family 18+ to enjoy a marble-ous evening of games, snacks, and drinks. Visit the museum’s special exhibit, Playing for Keeps, and learn how to knuckle down in a regulation-size marble ring. Play a variety of marble games (Hungry Hungry Hippos, anyone?) and enjoy marbled ice cream, cake, and nostalgic snacks. $5 general admission. Free for museum members and UMKC faculty, staff, and students.
Origins: The History of Character-Driven Toys (T/m Panel at Planet Comicon)
Friday, February 16, 2018 | 4:30-5:30PM
Bartle Hall, Kansas City Convention Center
T/m staff will be on a panel at Planet Comicon Kansas City, where they will discuss the development of character-driven toys in the 20th century. From Buck Rogers to G.I. Joe and Shirley Temple to Barbie, the panel will examine the way character-driven toys became a staple of American childhood. Visit planetcomicon.com/panels for details.
Meet the Experts: Bruce Breslow from Moon Marble
Sunday, February 11, 2018 | 2-3PM
"Playing for Keeps" event
Get to know the experts at The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures through this monthly exploration of special topics. On February 11, Bruce Breslow will discuss his love of marbles as a toy and art form. He will show some examples of his work, and demonstrate some of his favorite marble toys. Included with museum admission.
Meet the Experts: The Illusion of Space with Curator Laura Taylor
Sunday, January 07, 2018 | 2-3PM
Get to know the experts at The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures through this monthly exploration of special topics. Ever wondered what lies beyond the doors and windows of fine-scale miniature room settings? Discover the magic and secrets of secondary spaces in the fine-scale gallery with Curator of Interpretation Laura Taylor. Included with museum admission. Free for museum members.
Mike Dillon Presents Elliott Smith
Saturday, January 06, 2018 | 4:30-7:30PM | CONCERT AT 6PM
$20 GENERAL ADMISSION
Percussionist and vibraphonist Mike Dillon will play the works of folk singer-songwriter Elliott Smith. Praised as a “jazz vibraphone visionary,” Dillon will perform his take on Figure 8, the fifth and final album Smith completed before his death.
The museum will be open for self-guided tours for ticket holders at 4:30pm. The concert doors open at 5:30pm for open seating. The concert will begin at 6pm and last for an hour. Tickets can be purchased on Eventbrite through 4pm on Saturday. Any tickets still available after that time will be sold at the door.
Super Prize Month
Wednesday, January 03, 2018 — Wednesday, January 31, 2018
Team up with the world’s smallest superhero, Miniaturia, to save the museum from the evil Giganto-Ray in an exciting, family-friendly scavenger hunt. All superheroes who complete the scavenger hunt during the month of January will receive a super special prize to take home to their lair. Included with museum admission.
Music in the Museum
Saturday, December 30, 2017 | 1-3:30PM
Take a break from the hectic season to enjoy traditional holiday music on stringed instruments in the museum’s Tureman Education Center. Included with museum admission.
Christmas Stories at T/m
Saturday, December 23, 2017 | 1-3PM
We’ve decked the halls and trimmed the trees! Hear stories about holidays past in T/m’s Tureman Education Center, formerly a 1911 residential mansion. Enjoy festive decorations and admire special displays of antique Christmas crèches from the Bud and Jan Koupal Collection. Included with museum admission.
Father Christmas Comes to T/m
Sunday, December 17, 2017 | 1-2:30PM
Father Christmas is stopping by T/m to share stories of holiday traditions. Professional storyteller Jim “Two Crows” Wallen will engage the entire family with interactive tales of Old Saint Nick in the museum’s Tureman Education Center. Be sure to bring your camera so you can snap a keepsake photo of your family with the man in red! Included with museum admission.
Christmas Stories at T/m
Saturday, December 16, 2017 | 1-3PM
We’ve decked the halls and trimmed the trees! Hear stories about holidays past in T/m’s Tureman Education Center, formerly a 1911 residential mansion. Enjoy festive decorations and admire special displays of antique Christmas crèches from the Bud and Jan Koupal Collection. Also, at 1:00 there will be a reading and book signing of “The Twelve Days of Christmas in Missouri” by the author and illustrator during December 16th’s Christmas Stories event. Included with museum admission.
Meet the Experts: Christmas Crèches at T/m
Sunday, December 10, 2017 | 2-3PM
Get to know the experts at The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures through this monthly exploration of special topics. On December 10, enjoy special displays of Christmas crèches from the Bud and Jan Koupal Collection. Hear a talk about the history and tradition of holiday crèches, and stay afterward for cider and cookies. The program includes a lecture and museum visit. Included with museum admission.
Coleman Dollhouse Opening
Saturday, December 02, 2017 | 10AM-4PM
The annual tradition returns! See T/m’s nine-foot-tall dollhouse decked out for the holiday season. Get up close as T/m opens the doors for a day of in-depth talks about this giant dollhouse. Talks at 10:30am, 1pm, and 2:30pm, or come anytime between 10am and 4pm to view the house.
Day After Thanksgiving Program: Magic Marbles
Friday, November 24, 2017 | 10AM-4PM
"Playing for Keeps" event
It’s a day of marble magic with fun for the entire family. Explore the museum’s special exhibit, Playing for Keeps: The VFW Marble Tournaments, 1947-1962, and try your hand at “knuckling down” during a marble lesson. Then, pick out your own marble and turn it into a piece of wearable art to take home with you. Included with museum admission.
Meet the Experts: The VFW Marble Tournaments
Sunday, November 12, 2017 | 2-3PM
"Playing for Keeps" event
Get to know the experts at The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures through this monthly exploration of special topics. On November 12, author Scott McBride will discuss the game of marbles and the stories of tournament participants featured in T/m’s new temporary exhibit, Playing for Keeps: The VFW Marble Tournaments, 1947-1962. The program includes a lecture and gallery visit. Included with museum admission.
Vintage Board Game Night for Grown-ups
Friday, October 13, 2017 | 6-9PM
Don’t have a Clue what to do for your next Mystery Date night? Scrabble over to the museum on October 13, when we will team up with KC board game cafe Pawn & Pint for a Monopoly on classic board games. At $5 per person for all-you-can-play games, cider, and Halloween goodies, there’s little Risk involved. Please bring friends that are 18+ for this grown-ups-only night. $5 General Admission. Free for Members.
Meet the Experts: Magic Lanterns
Sunday, October 08, 2017 | 2-3PM
Get to know the experts at The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures through this monthly exploration of special topics. On October 8, museum educator Katherine Mercier will trace the history of magic lanterns, fantastical devices that introduced the world to projected images and became popular Victorian toys. The program includes a lecture and gallery visit. Included with museum admission.
Miniature Masterworks
Friday, September 15, 2017 — Sunday, September 17, 2017
Presented in partnership with the International Guild of Miniature Artisans, Miniature Masterworks is a three-day event at The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures featuring fine-scale miniature artists showcasing and selling their work. Attendees will be able to tour the museum’s collection of fine-scale miniatures, meet the artists, attend gallery talks and programs, and view the works presented with the Barbara Marshall Award for Artistic Achievement. Learn more on the Miniature Masterworks page.
Farewell to Summer Free Day
Saturday, August 19, 2017 | 10AM-4PM
Free Admission
Check one last thing off your “summer fun” list with free admission to T/m. Help the world’s smallest superhero, Miniaturia, save the museum from Giganto-Ray, a top-secret machine with evil intentions in a brand new scavenger hunt. Free parking is available in front of the museum. Additional parking is available one block east of the museum at the corner of 52nd and Cherry (Lot 32W on the University of Missouri-Kansas City campus).
Little Adventures
Wednesday, June 07, 2017 — Saturday, August 12, 2017 | 1-3:30PM
Explore the museum collection through gallery talks and guided tours, then visit the hands-on workshop to make your own toy or miniature. From robots to miniature rugs, each week features a new theme. Included with museum admission. Become a member today to enjoy all ten weeks for free! Recommended for ages 6 and up. Little Adventures is generously supported by the National Miniatures Trust.
Blue Star Museum
Monday, May 29, 2017 — Monday, September 04, 2017
T/m is proud to be a Blue Star Museum this summer and all year round! Blue Star Museums offer free admission to the nation’s active-duty military personnel and their families from Memorial Day to Labor Day. To find other Blue Star Museums near you, check out the map.
Wizard of Oz Puppet Show
Saturday, March 18, 2017 | 1-2PM
RSVP REQUIRED
See The Wonderful Wizard of Oz come to life with puppets in a 35-minute performance that is fun for the entire family. Kraig Kensinger, a resident puppeteer at the Puppetry Arts Institute in Independence, Missouri, will present the live show with puppets from longtime museum volunteer Sally Ruddy as well as some of his own design. Included with museum admission. Space is limited. Reserve a spot today by calling (816) 235-8005 or emailing mercierk@toyandminiaturemuseum.org.
Meet The Experts: The Thorne Rooms
Sunday, March 12, 2017 | 2-3PM
Get to know the experts at The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures through this monthly exploration of special topics. On March 12, Lindsay Mican Morgan, keeper of the Thorne Rooms at the Art Institute of Chicago, will examine Mrs. Thorne and the role of women artists in the creation of the miniature rooms. Included with museum admission. Space is limited. Reserve a spot today by calling (816) 235-8005 or emailing mercierk@toyandminiaturemuseum.org.
Vintage Board Game Night for Grown-Ups
Friday, February 24, 2017 | 6-9PM
$5 General Admission | Free for Members
Don’t have a Clue what to do for your next Mystery Date night? Scrabble over to the museum where we have a Monopoly on classic board games, including some from the Land of Oz. At $5 per person for all-you-can-play games, snacks, and hot cocoa, there’s little Risk involved. Please bring friends that are 18+ for this grown-ups only night.
Members-Only Breakfast with Glinda
Sunday, February 12, 2017 | 10AM-2PM
Members-Only | Free
New Date! Join us for a special viewing of Over the Rainbow: Toys from the Land of Oz and a complimentary pancake breakfast with the Good Witch. Enter the merry ‘ol Land of Oz for pancakes from Chris Cakes, sing-alongs, and photo opportunities. Breakfast is available for the number of people in each membership level: two, six, or twelve people per visit. Become a member today for as little as $25 to attend!
Over the Rainbow: Toys from the Land of Oz
Saturday, January 14, 2017 — Sunday, August 20, 2017
Published in 1900, L. Frank Baum’s Wizard of Oz is considered America’s first fairy tale. Since then, the story of Dorothy’s fantastical journey through the land of Oz has enticed generations. Explore the original literary story and its many retellings, including the 1939 Technicolor film, Return to Oz, and The Wiz, through playthings, first edition books, and original costumes at The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures.
Darling Daguerreotypes
Friday, November 25, 2016 | 10AM-4PM
In Victorian photographs, children were often posed with their prized toys. During the museum’s day-after-Thanksgiving workshop, bring your favorite toy or choose one from the museum’s education collection to get your snapshot taken and turned into a faux daguerreotype. Then, decorate a case for your new portrait just like those in the temporary exhibit, Forever Young: Victorian Photographs of Children and Their Toys. Included with museum admission.
Forever Young: Victorian Photographs of Children and Their Toys
Saturday, October 08, 2016 — Sunday, March 26, 2017
Before taking a picture was just a click of a button, having a photograph taken was serious business. A portrait was a rare record of not only an individual’s appearance, but their personality and history. Children were posed with their favorite toys giving contemporary viewers a rare glimpse into Victorian childhood. Explore over 100 photographs, including post-mortem portraits, and examples of the toys pictured.
Treasures of the Kings: 18th Century French Interiors in Miniature
Saturday, July 30, 2016
T/m is honored to premiere three new fine-scale miniature room settings on long-term loan from Ede & Ravenscroft, the oldest tailor in London and the exclusive provider of robes for the British Royal Family. Treasures of the Kings highlights Louis XV and Louis XVI royal furniture arranged in three room settings from the Palace of Versailles. The centerpiece of the collection is Denis Hillman’s Bureau du Roi. Comprised of over 16,000 individual pieces of fruitwood in seven marquetry designs, the desk took over four years to complete. Opened July 2016; remains on display.
T/m Write-In
Saturday, April 23, 2016 | 10AM-4PM
Let the art of imagination inspire you at the museum’s first Write-In: a gathering of people writing together at the same time for fun and productivity. Find a comfy spot in the beautiful Tureman Education Center with your laptop or borrow some paper. Prompts featuring the museum collection and tours at 11am and 2pm can help get the creative juices flowing. Snacks will be provided. Included with museum admission.
Stereotypes to Civil Rights: Black Paper Dolls in America
Saturday, February 20, 2016 — Sunday, August 21, 2016
Featuring the private collection of noted author, lecturer, and collector Arabella Grayson, explore the 150-year evolution of cultural images of African Americans in paper dolls from Little Black Sambo and Aunt Jemima to Jackie Robinson and Missy Elliott. Photography is not allowed in this exhibit. Learn more in the press kit.
Art as Ambassador: The Friendship Dolls of 1927
Thursday, November 12, 2015 | 5:30pm Doors Open, 6:00pm Lecture
General Public $10
Members and UMKC Faculty, Staff, and Students Free
Alan Scott Pate, the leading American authority on Japanese dolls, will give a lecture about the American/Japanese Friendship Doll Exchange of 1927 in conjunction with the museum’s special exhibit, Messengers of Goodwill. After his talk, Pate will answer questions in the exhibit gallery, which features 5 of the original Japanese Friendship Dolls, including the museum’s own Miss Fukushima. Seating is limited. RSVP 816.235.8005 or mercierk@toyandminiaturemuseum.org
Pedal to the Metal
Saturday, August 01, 2015 — Sunday, August 28, 2016
Experience America’s obsession with four-wheeled vehicles big and small in an exploration of the history, design, and production of pedaled playthings. From the Garton Kiddilac to the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile, see how suburban kids have rolled in style!
Messengers of Goodwill
Saturday, August 01, 2015 — Sunday, January 03, 2016
Discover the story of how dolls were used to mend diplomatic relations. Step into 1920s Japan and America to view five of the three-foot-tall friendship doll ambassadors reunited for the first time since 1927.
Highlights from the Collection of The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures
Wednesday, July 02, 2014 — Sunday, February 22, 2015
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
While the museum was closed for renovations, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art presented a selection of room settings, ceramics, furniture, and silver from T/m’s fine-scale miniature collection. Some of the miniatures featured were replicas of works in the permanent collection of the Nelson-Atkins.
Antiques Roadshow Features T/m
Monday, April 07, 2014 | 7PM CST
Antiques Roadshow host Mark L. Walberg and appraiser Marshall Martin visited The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures and gave two of our dollhouses their moment in the spotlight. Don’t miss Kansas City, Hour 2 of Antiques Roadshow at 8/7c!