The Museum of Miniature Houses has been a hidden treasure in the heart of Carmel since 1993. Located in the Carmel Arts & Design District, the museum is a must-visit for any miniature, dollhouse, or history lover. It’s also just a fun attraction to visit with the family. The intricacies and attention to detail on such a tiny but elaborate scale found here are fascinating.
Don’t miss the Addams Family Mansion, Wee Forest Folk, and the Southwest Trading Post which are just a few of the permanent exhibits. The museum is small, consisting of only seven rooms, but don’t let that deter you. They make great use of the space and there is much to be discovered in each one, plus miniatures don’t take up much room! The Museum of Miniature Houses is home to full-sized dollhouses, room boxes, and other miniature collections.
The Museum of Miniature Houses
Visit the Museum of Miniature Houses
The Museum of Miniature Houses resides in an understated brick building at 111 E Main Street in Carmel. There is a small parking lot in the back and plenty of other street parking. You enter through the back of the building and check in with an attendant in the office, immediately to your left. Be sure to ask for a walkie while you are there. They are available for free and help to enhance your visit with an audio tour.
You will see a red circle emblem sticker on different exhibits, with headphones and a number. This denotes there is additional information available on the audio tour about the exhibit. Type the corresponding number into your walkie and you can listen to additional facts, history, or personal stories about the pieces. Now you’re ready to begin your self-led tour of the museum.
Explore Each Room in the Museum
The first main room to your left is the antique room (home to the oldest dollhouse in the museum). The large, green house dates back to 1861 and was assembled during the Civil War. All of the houses in this room are a bit larger in scale than those found in the other six rooms. The room mirroring on the right side of the hallway contains collections of a plethora of different miniatures, such glass slippers, Lego sets, natural medium carvings of Canadian Inuit artists, Hopi kachina dolls, and so much more.
The connecting room contains several room boxes, which are recreations of specific scenes in one room, instead of a whole house. There is also a gorgeous open concept house and landscaping piece called “California Contemporary” situated on a large turntable so you can admire it from every angle. At the end of the hall is the room known as the “Founder’s Room,” which contains miniatures by founders Suzanne Moffett, Suzanne Landshoff, and Nancy Lesh. We liked to call it the “Unicorn Room,” though, because there are several unicorns hiding out in it. Many other houses, collections, and room boxes are located throughout the other rooms of the museum.
Each room also has a binder labeled “Exhibit Notes” located near the entrance with additional information, ranging from news articles on the pieces to design instructions. Be sure to shut off the lights in each room before you exit, to find out which houses are illuminated with their own electricity. This was a fun surprise for the kids and made them rush back over to further inspect the pieces once they were lit up.
Learn More About Miniatures
In the restroom, in addition to the cute dollhouse soap dispenser and decor, you will also notice there is a small library of books with topics on how to make miniatures, architectural references, gardens, fiction, and general history that can be checked out, to take home and continue learning about miniatures.
Stop at the Gift Shop
The gift shop up front has everything for someone who would like to start collecting, someone who is looking to add to an already established collection, or someone who just wants a memento. You can find everything here, from full houses to furniture and figurines to the fixings for a fancy feast. There are kits for beginners, artisan pieces for experts, and souvenirs for everyone else. The staff is very knowledgeable and ready to make recommendations about all the miniatures available for purchase.
Hours & Admission
The museum is open Wednesday – Saturday from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm and on Sunday from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. General admission to the museum is $10 per person ages 10 and up, $5 for ages 3 through 9, and FREE for those 2 and under. Military personnel and seniors aged 65+ receive a discounted admission of $8.
The Museum of Miniature Houses
111 East Main Street
Carmel, IN 46032
Tips for Visiting with Kids
Kids will be captivated by what they see at the Museum of Miniature Houses. Through miniatures, children can learn the concept of architectural scale, the decorative arts, and the importance of detail. They can use the magnifying glass in each room for a closer look. There are also stools for seeing higher-placed items, a fairy door for making wishes, a dollhouse on the floor to play with, and three levels of scavenger hunts for kids.
We recommend giving yourself at least an hour to check out everything. With the size of the building, I did not expect to be there long. We were pleasantly surprised, though, when we were there for almost two hours. We enjoyed visiting and re-visiting displays to notice details we may have missed the first time around. The not-for-profit museum also hosts events throughout the year, as well as workshops for miniaturists of all levels. Be sure to check out their Facebook page for upcoming events they may offer.
Connect to the Carmel Arts & Design District and the Monon Trail
The Museum of Miniature Houses is centrally located in Carmel. It is just one block from Carmel High School and the wonderful Carmel Clay Public Library. It is in the heart of the Carmel Arts & Design District with tons of shops, restaurants, treats, and activities. Another fun museum for the kids, the World’s Smallest Children’s Art Gallery, is just a couple blocks away on Main Street. There are bikes to rent at the corner of Main Street and the Monon Trail. Head North on the Monon Trail and within minutes you will find Meadowlark Park, a gem of a park with a fishing pond.
Bike South on the Monon Trail and your next stop is Midtown Plaza Carmel with tons of free outdoor games and activities, like bocce ball, shuffleboard, ping pong, and billiards. There is also a playground and a splash pad for the little ones. Explore further South on the Monon Trail and you’ll hit Carmel’s City Center. This is where you can find the Carmel Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings in the summer and the Carmel Christkindlmarkt in the winter. You can also find the Center for Performing Arts’ three theaters, the Hotel Carmichael, several boutique shops, and several restaurants, including the famous Cake Bake Shop!
Explore More in Carmel
After your visit to the Museum of Miniature Houses, be sure to explore all that Carmel has to offer. There are lots of wonderful things to do in Carmel with kids, including visiting family-friendly parks and playgrounds. The Monon Trail connects to tons of other hiking and biking trails so you can walk, bike, or stroll throughout town. In addition to the restaurants in the Arts & Design District, you will find many more great family-friendly restaurants in Carmel. If you’re looking for a more romantic option, Carmel has several restaurants that are perfect for date night.
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