“Dollhouses” for Adults

Just when you thought that you knew every reason to visit a place, something jumps in your path and you find that the most obscure items become some of the best memories. Who would have thought that everyone needs to take a trip to Tucson, Arizona to experience the world of tiny things at The Mini Time Machine, Museum of Miniatures?

          Well, now you know what you must do!

          This is a classic case of stumbling onto something that you will be forever grateful that you did. Before you cast a disparaging eye on this experience, please consider that it is impossible not to be filled with awe at the precision, imagination, and dedication to making everyday things so small and with such detail as to not be able to tell if they are the real thing or not, except if there is something next to it to give it scale.

          The following photos will demonstrate this effect much better

than I can.

          First, I will tell you what this is not.

          It is not an example of dollhouses, made for children to play with. Although there is some of this, and it would be ingenuous not to include that aspect of miniatures, the primary drive behind these creations, is to replicate in miniature, either actual rooms and houses or, as maybe an architect would, design something just for itself.

          The museum touches on technique as well as materials and also includes various methods of model making and even the art of carving very tiny sculptures on the tips of lead carpenter’s pencils.

          The layout of the Museum is well planned. It brings you through the history of early miniatures, mainly from the 1700’s, through some of the latest trends of both homes, and whimsy, namely the world of gnomes, wizards, and castles.

          Even Waterford Crystal got into the act. One of their retired Master Craftsmen makes miniature Captain’s Decanters and other pieces for use in Dining Room scenes!

One of the primary purposes of the Museum, is to capture these examples of ‘Time’, as each miniature was constructed with this in mind, to freeze time and be able to gaze upon an example of a classic Victorians Kitchen as if you were there.

It achieves this with a finesse that is hard to describe.

Mission accomplished!