Tucked inside the Frazier History Museum in Louisville, Kentucky, The Stewart Historic Miniatures Collection is one of the most comprehensive public collections of toy soldiers and historical miniatures in the world.
While the Museum was originally founded as an arms museum, it has since broadened its mission to showcase Kentucky history through artifacts and stories. Some of that history is told through The Stewart Historic Miniatures Collection, a display of over 30,000 figures representing approximately 180 toy soldiers and miniature manufacturers. The rarest and most valuable figures are kept safely in the museum archives and in display cabinets, but there is an opportunity for hands-on discovery and play with a portion of the collection. Visitors gain an appreciation for Kentucky history thanks to displays and dioramas representing the Kentucky Derby, the Louisville Citizens’ Guard, and objects from notable local collectors.
For those who can’t make it to Louisville to see the collection in person, the museum offers high-resolution images of many of the figures and displays on its website, including figures from W. Britain, Heyde, J. G. Lorenz, and other early masters of the craft.
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