Dollhouse and Miniatures Exhibition in Bethlehem, PA
Come see why ABC Action News called this “a collection unlike any other.” The exhibition is a great activity for Lehigh Valley locals and is a convenient day trip for travelers from both Philadelphia and New York. Runs through June 27, 2027.
What you’ll see at the Art of the Dollhouse exhibition | Dozens of Antique Dollhouses and Thousands of Miniatures
You’ll feel a sense of childlike wonder when you step into this new dollhouse and miniatures exhibition in Bethlehem, PA. The Magazine Antiques says, “It’s like stepping through a portal to the past.” Nearly 60 dollhouses, some hundreds of years old, whisper stories from throughout history. Plus, thousands of miniatures that have passed through generations demonstrate how society, decorative arts, toymaking, and play evolved together over four centuries. In this exhibit you’ll learn that while you may not be able to capture time in a bottle, perhaps you can capture it in a box – a toy box.
The exhibition also features interactive opportunities such as a chance to try out macro photography and an invitation to leave a little piece of your own history at the museum. Visit the Mini Swap Shop to trade one of your miniatures for one of ours.
Scroll down for more details about specific dollhouses, other miniature historic structures you can explore, and special exhibition-related events.
Art of the Dollhouse Opening Reception | October 29
Thank you to everyone who joined us for a wonderful evening kicking off this new exhibition – we greatly appreciate everyone’s support.
Art of the Dollhouse Exhibition Special Events
Dollhouses in Art History | November 15 at 10 am
From ancient Egyptian tomb models to 17th-century Dutch “baby houses,” the instinct to create miniature dioramas of everyday life is as old as time. This program by writer, practicing miniaturist and longtime Barnes Foundation staff member Julie Steiner looks at the way artists from around the world and throughout history have gathered and sorted domestic scenes into house-shaped “collection boxes.” The group will examine the traditions that prefigure the dollhouses in the Kemerer’s collection, and see if that context changes interpretations of what they see on view while looking at the houses.
Tickets: $20 for Historic Bethlehem members and $25 for the public
Private Collector’s Hours | November 6 – February 19, 10 am
Enter the Art of the Dollhouse exhibition before the museum opens to the public. You’ll enjoy private, adults only access to the Elizabeth Johnston Prime Dollhouse Collection. There are only 15 reservations available for each Collector’s Hour.
Dates:
November 6 and November 20, 2026
January 8, 15 and 22, 2027
February 12 and 19, 2027
Admission: $30
The Miniature Collection by Sarah Jane Timmons | Through June 27, 2027
Discover the charm of small-scale art in The Miniature Collection by artist Sarah Jane Timmons. Featuring 24 delightful miniature works not much larger than a quarter in size, these tiny watercolor paintings act as little portals into sentimental moments and playful objects from everyday life. Timmons invites the viewer to look closer as she captures the magic in the seemingly ordinary.
The rare dollhouses you’ll see at the Art of the Dollhouse exhibition
You’ll see an exquisite French villa from the late 1800s complete with handmade tapestries, a three-story tall G&J English townhouse from 1895 with an electric chandelier and delicate blown glass features, Baltimore rowhouses with their original antique brick paper, and dozens upon dozens more remarkable historic dollhouses.
Exhibit highlights include massive antique dollhouses, some up to four feet tall, from renowned German manufacturers such as Christian Hacker, Moritz Gottschalk, and Johann Daniel Kestner Jr. You’ll also enjoy miniature homes from FAO Schwarz and Silber & Fleming. Plus, you’ll learn about the evolution of the dollhouse craft with carpenter houses built by skilled woodworkers and contemporary pieces by modern artists.
One of the more modern dollhouses in the exhibition is the Kaleidoscope House that artist Laurie Simmons designed in 2001. It features transparent, candy-colored walls. Simmons said the house examines the changing practices of home and family.
You’ll also discover other whimsical miniature buildings that demonstrate how play, decorative arts, and toy making evolved together and how their evolution has much to teach us about history.
Special scenes include stables, shops, and a safari. Look for the hand painted fruits and vegetables in a well-stocked 1800s era grocery store replica. A miniature train station includes its original lithographed paper shingles. The kids will love pointing out the miniature animals in a detailed Noah’s Ark reproduction, and a safari scene from the late 1800s.
The exhibition features thousands of dollhouse miniatures
You could marvel at the carefully preserved details in these historic homes for hours. Many still have their original textured wallpapers and real linen draperies. Carefully selected miniature decor matches each home’s era. Curators beautifully arranged artful touches like wax-candle chandeliers, historic china sets, tiny watercolor paintings, and even clothing to demonstrate how homes and play have evolved over the past four centuries.
The exhibition includes more than 6,000 miniatures. One noteworthy miniature is an antique needlework table with fine threads on the spindle holding an intricate tapestry. Another can’t miss mini display features a set of Chinese porcelain vases recovered from a shipwreck in the ocean depths. Divers discovered the rare miniatures in The Vung Tau Cargo ship which sank in about 1690.
Other highlights include a bed and vanity from 1810, a kitchen stove by renowned Wolverhampton toymakers Evans and Cartwright, and an early 19th century personal devotional.
In addition to miniatures, you’ll explore a room full of small toys from throughout the 20th century. They include model trains, flat painted soldiers, tin collectibles, and a 1950s Cape Canaveral playset by Louis Marx and Company, one of the largest toy manufacturers in the world during the mid-20th century.
The dollhouse and miniatures exhibition is made possible thanks to Elizabeth Johnston Prime
The exhibition features many spectacular dollhouses from the Elizabeth Johnston Prime antique dollhouse collection, once one of the largest privately owned dollhouse collections in the United States. The Johnston Prime collection features 44 homes and more than 6,000 tiny pieces, including figurines, furniture, paintings, rugs, and dishes, all crafted between 1830 and the early 1930s. Prime bequeathed her collection to Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites in 2006.
The oldest piece in the Johnston Prime collection is a Pennsylvania Cupboard House from 1830. It’s a carpenter-built, Empire-style dollhouse set inside a mahogany cabinet that reportedly floated down the Allegheny River at one point.
Her collection also features whimsical miniature shops and stables. They include the Moritz Gottschalk General Store and a Christian Hacker Storefront. You’ll have a great time discovering the fine details, like miniature sugar cones and hand painted florals, in the shops.
Arts and collectibles media are raving about Kemerer Museum’s dollhouse collection
The Magazine Antiques says visitors, “get a sense of childlike wonderment as they examine the fine details of each piece.”
6ABC Action News says it’s “a collection unlike any other.”
“It continues to bring people together,” notes the Decorative Arts Trust
Art of the Dollhouse Exhibition Schedule and Tickets
October 22, 2026– June 27, 2027
Fridays and Saturdays: 11 am–5 pm
Sundays: 11 am–4 pm
Extended days and hours during the holiday season.
General Admission: $7 children | $14 adults | Free for HBMS Members
Get an insider perspective with a guided dollhouse and miniatures exhibition tour
Learn the secrets of the dollhouses with the keepers of the dollhouse vault. Our docents have studied the collection for years. They’ll make sure you don’t miss special details like working elevators and doorbells, plus they’ll let you in on the lore behind some of their most special stories. For example, what’s the story of a house that may have floated down a river? Why did one sell for more than the price of a new car and who solved some of the mysteries behind the so-called “mystery houses?”
Through it all, you’ll get an in-depth look at miniature-culture and learn how changing tastes, materials, and design shaped domestic life across the centuries.
Guided Tour Times: 11:30am | 1pm | 3pm
Guided Tour Admission: $10 children | $20 adults | Free for HBMS Members
Get a sneak peek inside the Art of the Dollhouse exhibition
This video into the dollhouse vault at Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites reveals some of the antique dollhouses and miniatures you’ll see during this rare dollhouse and miniature museum exhibition.
Frequently Asked Questions about Art of the Dollhouse exhibition
What is the Kemerer Museum address?
The Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts
427 N. New St.
Bethlehem, PA 18018
What are the days and hours for the dollhouse and miniatures exhibition in Bethlehem, PA?
The Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts is open for the Art of the Dollhouse exhibition Fridays and Saturdays from 11 am–5 pm and Sundays from 11 am–4 pm. The museum offers extended days and hours during the holiday season starting November 27.
Where do I park for the Kemerer Museum?
The Kemerer Museum is located in downtown Bethlehem. Limited free parking is available in the parking lot at the rear of the museum. The lot is accessible from the intersection of West Wall and North New Streets.
Additional parking is available in the City of Bethlehem parking garages. The closest option is the Walnut Street Garage, located a short walk from the museum.
Is the Kemerer ADA Accessible?
Yes, the Kemerer Museum is ADA accessible, with an elevator available to transport guests to the second floor of the museum so they can experience the entire exhibition.
Is the dollhouse and miniatures exhibition a good day trip from New York or Philadelphia?
Yes! The Kemerer Museum makes a great day trip. The Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts is about one hour from Philadelphia and less than two hours from New York City, making it an ideal getaway for couples and friends. It’s also a great day trip for locals looking for things to do in the Lehigh Valley.
The Art of the Dollhouse exhibition is supported by Barbara Bealer and David Greene, and the Jones Adult Fund.
Thank You to Our Sponsors, Partners, and Supporters
Operational funding has been provided by a grant from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission's Cultural and Historical Support Program, a program funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Exhibition Support
Organizer
Historic Bethlehem Museums & SitesDates & tickets
- Art of the Dollhouse Collector's Hour Admission: $30.00
- Art of the Dollhouse Guided Tour Adult: $20.00
- Art of the Dollhouse Guided Tour Member: Free
- Art of the Dollhouse Guided Tour Child: $10.00
- Art of the Dollhouse Self-Guided Tour Adult: $14.00
- Art of the Dollhouse Self-Guided Tour Member: Free
- Art of the Dollhouse Self-Guided Tour Child: $7.00
