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Rosalie Whyel Museum of Doll Art
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3 reviews for Rosalie Whyel Museum of Doll Art
Okay, I admit it - I went to the Doll Art Museum expecting, nay, hoping, to be massively creeped out. I was trying to come up with an activity that would entertain me, my friend, and her 9-year-old daughter, which is harder than it sounds, but I figured this would be the ticket: her little girl would be genuinely enraptured by the dolls and costumes, and we could stand in the back snickering and making fun of the freaky displays. What I wasn't expecting was to find a museum that's both totally eccentric and pretty cool.
The museum is located in a building that was made specifically for it, so it's pink and girly and has some turrets and stuff - not at all like a ramshackle haunted mansion where the dolls come alive at night. There are two floors, and they recommend that you start on the second floor, which makes a token effort at explaining the history of dolls before abandoning all scholarly pretense and just wallowing in the elaborate costumes and accessories. You'll see "dolls" that were dressmakers' miniatures, sent across the ocean to give fashionable women a glimpse at what French society was wearing. You'll see dolls with stunningly intricate wardrobes, like a "bride" doll with tiny wedding rings and an entire trousseau packed in trunks (including a doll-sized locket with pictures of - what else - doll "relatives"). You'll see dolls with dresses and jewelry that put yours to shame.
If the actual dolls aren't so much your thing, you can also admire the miniatures exhibit, which contains some pretty amazing dollhouses and dioramas. The large dollhouse in the lobby is definitely the best, so make sure to walk around the back and examine the dozen-plus rooms decorated down to the tiniest, most obsessive detail (TP in the bathroom, broken egg on the kitchen floor). Older visitors may also enjoy the display of twentieth-century dolls and toys, although Barbie gets scarcely a mention.
Don't forget to look in the gift shop before you leave: in addition to a small selection of postcards and coffee table books, there's a range of figurines and dolls, old and new. Ask Eric to show you the $55,000 doll - but don't touch! Only about one-fourth of the museum's collection is on display at any given time, so it's worth going back for a repeat visit, especially if you're, you know, some kind of freaky doll collector. I do wish they had had some kind of display explaining who Rosalie Whyel is and how she came to amass this giant collection and turn it into a museum, though.
This year is the 15th anniversary of the doll museum, and they're having an event to celebrate this on September 15th, 2007, including the official unveiling of a rare Japanese friendship doll. So if you're into antique dolls or toys, or you're looking for a family-friendly activity that's a bit on the wacky side, the Doll Art Museum has its painted glass eye on you.
People thought this was:
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When I was a little girl, the few dolls I got were too adventurous to last very long. They went skydiving off the roof, skateboarded down the road, and lived in trees. I couldn't understand why I didn't get more dolls for Christmas. Anyway, this museum was a great trip down memory lane, though the antique dolls here don't look like they ever did anything more adventurous than sit on a shelf. The really old ones are my favorites. That and an Indian princess doll that looks like one I used to have. She lived in a teepee in the backyard and got chewed by a dog. The dollhouses are very, very cool and some are very elaborate, complete with mini everything, from sofas to food. There are some old teddy bears here too. A fun place to visit and great for kids. The Victorian mansion feel to the place certainly fits.
People thought this was:
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Nope. I didn't play with dolls (much) as a kid but I sure wish I'd thought to start a museum! This bit of Americana was wonderful to wander through and the hands-on area was a delight. Take the kiddies and let 'em play.
