History

The Toy & Miniature Museum of Kansas City was born of a longtime friendship and shared love of collecting.

Mary Harris Francis, an avid collector of dollhouses, and Barbara Marshall, who made her first of many miniature purchases in the 1950s, were often teased by Mary Harris' mother for having collections so large, they should start a museum...and that's exactly what they did.

In 1979, the women formed a not-for-profit corporation. Three years later, the Toy & Miniature Museum opened its doors.

From its humble beginnings as separate private collections, the museum now boasts the largest collection of toys and miniatures in the Midwest, the world's largest collection of marbles, a busy schedule of events and programming, and frequent special exhibits.