The Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures

This place is AWESOME! I took my 8 year old nephew and 5 year old niece here today and we ALL loved it! We were given a paper with pictures of 5 fairies and had a contest to find them all in the museum! They loved it. If you are looking for something to do with kids, go here! The only thing I wish they had were step stools. My niece wanted me to carry her the entire time bc she couldn’t see some of the dollhouses. Other than that this place is so neat… you have to see for yourself! Pictures don’t do this place justice. The people working the front desk were very nice. The guy helped my niece cheat and find the last fairy on our list. We spent so much time here and I’m sure the kids will want to go again. I heard they have classes, workshops and events.

This museum is fantastic. I know, I know, you’re thinking a miniatures museum might be boring. But they obviously put a lot of money and effort into making this place fun for all ages. For kids, there’s a huge magical room with a giant fake tree, and in and around it you can find fairies and other creatures children are sure to love. The rest of the museum, while still enjoyed by everyone, is sure to capture adults attention with an immense collection of miniatures. I especially love the antique doll houses. Expertly and intricately crafted miniatures surround you at all times. If you didn’t already appreciate this art form, you will by the time you leave. I could spend hours here!

A very professional museum of the art of miniatures. Great for all ages. Excellent and detailed examples of the history of miniatures. Also whimsical models that capture the potent value of miniatures. This should be a stop for any visitor or resident of Tucson. If you come as a family or group of adults consider getting a membership as they let me use guest passes immediately.
Really you should check out once or twice.

I was hoping there would be more village type miniatures. So so exhibit. Spent just over an hour which was plenty of time. I thought the prisoner needlepoint was exceptional.

This place is ADORABLE. If it is your first visit, you start out on a room to the side (the Magic Theater) where you watch a cute little introductory video to introduce you to the world of miniatures.
There is a central rotunda that is surrounded by three main rooms: Enchanted Realm, Exploring the World, and History Gallery.
Each room has a plethora of miniature displays. From houses, to dioramas, they have all kinds of miniatures for your viewing pleasure. It’s easy to see why some people become so passionate about this hobby; it really is enchanting to look into a good miniature room and feel like you could walk straight into it.
The entrance has a small gift shop where you can purchase miniatures and children’s toys.
I also noticed some pamphlets that could help augment your experience in the event that this isn’t your first visit. They highlighted specific things to look for and gave you a bit more detailed information on some specific exhibits.
Throughout the museum, there were a few videos that you could watch, and some of the exhibits lit up or played music when you walked past.
Ultimately, this place is quite charming, and it definitely deserves a visit if you are in the area.

A beautiful museum and well worth a visit when you are in Tucson!

It is a really large place with many displays. At a medium to slow pace, you are looking at 1.5 hour for an adult. Kids attention … not so much.
I really enjoyed it. Some super cool and very intense models. It is like a trip around the world through different time periods.
A beautiful building that is super clean and cool and comfy. No strange smells. Friendly staff.
Will be a great place to take visitors to Tucson.

We really enjoyed the artistry of all the different types of houses and examples from different eras. I was so surprised that my almost 5 year old son loved it so much. He was obsessed with the fairy! My 7 year old daughter really enjoyed it as well. I was enchanted. I t found the staff to be very friendly. They also have a lot of quality miniatures for sale from local artists. We will visit again next time we’re in Tucson.

This museum brought out the inner child in me! I was so impressed and fascinated with all the detail of the Miniatures. If you’re an artsy, craft loving person this place is a must see!

This place is pretty impressive. Clearly these are works of art by anyone’s definition of the craft. Is it kind of creepy? Yes. Still, very well done. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it.
Saying mini time machine in the title is extremely misleading though. My coworker and I spent the whole time looking for a time machine miniature.

Great place to visit. Too bad we got there late and couldn’t spend too much time enjoying the miniatures.

Oh, I wish I was a little bar of soap. .. and so will you, after you visit this must see museum. My only wish is that they install a GIANT’S room, so everyone can feel Lilliputian.

Happy Anniversary, Mini Time Machine Museum! It was crowded and very hard to find parking on a Saturday afternoon about an hour before closing. I’m really glad I checked you out, though. The tree! The Christmas village IN THE FLOOR! Many, many things that made my inner model builder so very happy.
I expected the history section to be miniatures illustrating history rather than examples of miniatures from the past. It’s also a pretty narrow scope.
Similarly, the around the world is kinda… well, the West and then 5ish non-​Europe or US miniatures. (In which I think my favorite miniature not in the fantasy section resides — that Chinese house with the willow and the pond and the bridge? Beautiful, well done, not creepily inhabited by poor quality dolls.
Because dolls can seriously be creepy no matter the size.
Aside from the dragons (and inexplicably, shoes) I’m not sure «miniatures» is the best moniker. Doll houses would be more accurate. Small children aren’t going to love it here — most things won’t be on their eye level and there isn’t much movement and no interaction. The older kids that were in attendance, armed with cameras and ready to declare a new favorite with each room, were enjoying the heck out of it, though. (Me, too, kids. Me, too.)
The store isn’t a dump-​you-​here-​on-​your-​exit-​and-​good-​luck-​finding-​a-​way-​out trick. It’s compact and while I didn’t get a chance to comb the shelves, nothing seemed out of place: no weird stress balls with glitter and tiny fish shapes inside, no candy bars by the register, no trees of stuffed animals, no not-​quite-​pithy t-​shirts. This is greatly appreciated.
Admission once September is over is steep enough I don’t expect to be a regular visitor, but their schedule of events was chock full of interesting offerings and many are free with the price of admission.
Anyone want to join me for fairy gingerbread house building in December?

We went during the free in September promotion they have. It was neat and fun. It is clean and a actual museum type of environment. They have several displays. I don’t know if the admission price they normally ask is a good deal but for free it was good. Plan on about a 45 minute visit to most people.

Second visit was pointless. If you’ve seen this museum once, there’s absolutely no reason to go back. I was unimpressed by the staff this time around, which consisted of officious, borderline cranky older women who glared at the children and went around spraying and wiping off fingerprints from the glass cases with a fervor like Rommel invading North Africa. And the $ 10 admission seemed too pricey this time for, well, miniatures.

As a fan of miniatures, I don’t know why I’ve waited so long to come here. As luck had it, I made it on a «free» admission day and met some friends here. Mainly we talked and checked out the wonderful displays– very old mini houses, castles, people and settings. The kids love it and go on hunts to find faeries hidden in the various displays. There is a lot to see and do here and I look forward to going back one day and thoroughly checking out everything on display. Lots of fun!

We all had a great time! Ages 2 – 35. You can re-​enter during the day that you buy admission for. There really is a lot to see and we came back after lunch.

Yes this place has what some would call doll houses however the intricate details of them makes them much more. They are truly miniatures. The immense detail in everything is amazing. These artists are truly talented. There’s different themes. My girlfriend and I loved the kids section as they had halloween and christmas and other whimsical stuff.
It can be walked through pretty fast however if you take the time to look at every tiny detail it easily will take an hour.
4 stars for uniqueness!

This museum was charming, with both historical and modern examples of miniatures. There are a lot of interesting details to observe (animals knocking over a bowl of food in the background, etc), and for the most part, the miniatures are very well lighted and easy to see.
It only took us an hour to move through the museum, however, which made the $ 9 price tag feel a bit steep (student discounts would be great!). Also, I would have loved to see more examples of miniatures from different cultures, as it seems like the museum was heavily weighted toward Western cultures.
The kind woman at the front desk suggested we start with the History section, which means that we ended up watching the movie last, even though the movie seems to be designed to introduce the museum. I’d suggest starting at the theater.

Peculiar, surprising, and delightful all come to mind when it comes to The Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures. Who knew that the world of miniatures was so vast? Seriously. This museum was like a million times bigger than I anticipated and really, could take up half a day as you stop at each exhibit and analyze the precision and detail of each piece. The miniatures span from different periods in history to magic and fairy tales. It really takes the skills of a wood carver, sculptor and even an interior designer to create these ornate works. And, as I learned from this visit, often times the artist does employ the same tools and techniques that are used in full-​sized work. And whenever possible, a miniature is made from the same material as its full-​sized counterpart. Anything from wood, stone and fabrics are crafted into tiny buildings and furnishings. They even make tiny food displays and include special lighting. Obviously, I went straight to the Christmas exhibit located in the Enchanted Realm first. It’s hard not to feel like a giddy child when you’re greeted by an Enormous tree that could easily blend into the landscape at Disneyland. Next, walking on the glass floor and peering into the Christmas Village below your feet is fun too. The Magical Realm is comprised of miniature displays of Fairytales galore. The rest of the museum takes your through history… many displays take you back to the 1700’s and probably even further back, but there was so much to see that I could not absorb all in one visit.
Still not sure if miniatures are «your thing?» Well… I say, get over it and pay them a visit! It’s truly a unique place. And if a visit has inspired you to learn more you can take classes at the museum. Make sure to check out their website for more details. Entry fee is $ 9 for adults. On Thursdays it’s $ 6! The building is super clean and well maintained. Let’s help them keep it that way!