NC Museum of Dolls, Toys & Miniatures

Today, we celebrate the birthday of a daughter and a best friend whose memory moves within everything we do here at the museum. Her name is Amy Dawn Morris. Amy lived with a rare form of spinal muscular atrophy and passed away just before her 22nd birthday. Her family established this museum to honor her legacy and memory. Amy was a passionate collector of dolls, toys, and more - she especially loved Barbie and Bab Mackie Barbies in particular. Our museum started with her small and beloved collection. Over the years, Amy's spirit has been present for those who work, volunteer, and support the museum, including those who generously donate their own beloved collections. A lot of what we do is about a big picture - a mission to spread the love and artistry of dolls, toys, trains, and miniatures. But that mission is incomplete without honoring the legacy of the passionate collectors who have come before. And that one special collector who inspired it all. Let's celebrate Amy today, and the joyful, exuberant, creative legacy that lies within so many of the items in our collection. Happy birthday, Amy! #happybirthday #barbie #barbiecollector #dolls #dollcollector #dollmuseum

Bring 3+ cans or non-perishable food items to the museum for free admission! Let's give back to the community together! #spencernc #salisburync #rowancounty

Last chance!! This is a STUNNING set for Transformers fans that offers more than meets the eye - and it's just $100 in our gift shop right now. We can ship!! Sets are going fast! The limited-edition gold-themed Blokees "Transformers X Yearly Version Golden Lagoon" set features five articulated characters with golden details. Transformers is celebrating its induction into the Toy Hall of Fame and its 40th anniversary, so the timing couldn't be better to celebrate one of the most loved and most iconic toy lines of all time. If you're interested in picking one up for yourself or a loved one, let us know. #transformers #blokeestransformers #transformerstoys

Participating in our town of Spencer NC's Winterfest celebrations last month was a great reminder of the importance of museums like ours as community institutions. With free admission to the museum, we got to see kids of all ages and their families marvel at the sights inside, from the model trains to the dollhouses and miniatures and beyond. When asked which collection in the museum was her favorite, one child answered, "I love everything." We participate in the Museums for All program because we don't want any child - or any adult - to be denied that feeling of wonder due to finances. We invite SNAP recipients to come to the museum for free admission, any open day of the year. Museums are for everyone! #museums #museumsforall #m4a #SNAP #rowancounty #spencernc

Happy New Year, everyone! Wishing you and your loved ones a happy, healthy, and joyful 2025! #newyear #2025 #happynewyear #newyearsday

We love recognizing the relationship between doll history, dolls as works of art, and the legacies of individual collectors. These photos and the description below from Theriault's about the doll collector who owned these and many other stunning dolls really hits home: "Rosalie Whyel spent her collecting years in the advocacy of the doll as an art form, indeed, even naming her justly celebrated museum in Bellevue, Washington as The Rosalie Whyel Museum of Doll Art. It was not simply a museum of dolls, but, boldly, a Museum of Doll Art. Through her leadership, many collectors came to realize that the sculpture and design of a doll was an art form as surely as more traditionally named objects such as bronze sculptures or portrait paintings. Rosalie Whyel also saw the doll as history. The personal story of each doll, why it was created, what was its inspiration, who owned it and cared for it, its chronological connection with other similar dolls, its uniqueness and why, was an important element in each doll’s presentation. The history of each doll was as important to her as the physical object itself. In this catalog, Part Two of Rosalie, A Life of Dolls, these dual purposes of the doll as art and the doll as history is explored. The collection ranges from extremely rare French bébés and poupées, to the early wooden dolls of England and Europe, to the esoteric to the dolls of mystery background whose history is yet to be uncovered." Photo & description via Theriault's. Fascinating! Florence Theriault #dollcollector #dollmuseum #dollart #dollsareart #theriaults #dolls

Curious where some of your favorite exhibits have moved to in our forever home? Take a look! Your favorite collection pieces are here, from the Schoenhut Humpty-Dumpty Circus to Winross trucks, Madame Alexander dolls, and vintage toys. Our staff & board is still hard at work showcasing our collections in the space - we want to make it even easier to take a quick self-guided tour of the museum and identify the time period for each case. Our museum is open weekly Thursdays through Saturdays from 10 am to 4 pm. We hope you'll get a chance to stop by in 2025 to celebrate how far we've come with your support! Now is a wonderful time to become a museum member so you can provide year-round support to our nonprofit. You can choose your member level (all levels come with free admission to the museum year-round!) Become a member at: https://lnkd.in/gUDH6aJB Special thanks to Lori Hedrick for these photos. #dollmuseum #toymuseum #dolls #antiquedolls #vintagedolls #vintagetoys #schoenhut #dollhouse #miniature #modeltrain

Our museum display for #hanukkah includes blue and white color themes, dreidels, gelt, and a menorah. The Jewish festival of lights celebration continues through January 2, celebrating faith, hope, bravery, and good works.

Updated holiday hours! We're open normal hours this week and next week. Hope to see you at the museum!

One more holiday treat from the museum's collection: take a look at this beautiful miniature house, handcrafted by Elmer Nutt as a Christmas gift for his granddaughter, Laura, in 1977. Elmer started the project over Thanksgiving and worked tirelessly in his spare time to bring it to life for Laura. It was his first-ever dollhouse. Local craftspeople and Elmer's wife helped to design the interior elements, including mini furnishings and wallpaper that would match some of Laura's own family home. #miniatures #dollhouseminiatures #Christmas #mini #miniaturefurniture #miniaturehouse #dollhouse