The Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures

10/02/2026

Six full scholarships are available for our Fall Break Miniature Bakery Camp!

Children ages 7–14 will build their own miniature bakery, adding playful Halloween details or creating a traditional bakery inspired by their favorite treats. No experience needed!

📅 October 12–16, 2026
🕘 9 AM–noon each day
📍 The Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures, Tucson

Each scholarship covers the full $185 tuition for all five days.

To apply, email [email protected] for scholarship registration details.

Please share with a family who may be interested!

09/29/2026

A bakery that’s sweet, spooky, or somewhere in between.

At Fall Break Camp, young makers ages 7–14 will design their own miniature bakery, explore new materials, and discover how small details tell a story.

October 12–16 | 9 AM - 12 PM
$185 for the full week | Museum members save 10%

Registration is open through the link below.
https://theminitimemachine.org/event/fall-break-camp-miniature-bakery/2026-10-14/

09/18/2026

Miniatures are having a very big moment—and Bloomberg is taking a closer look.

We’re proud to see our curator, Emily Wolverton, featured in this new Bloomberg Weekend story exploring the artistry, craftsmanship, and community behind the growing interest in miniatures.

The article also visits the International Guild of Miniature Artisans’ Guild School in Castine, Maine, which was attended by two members of our current staff and a former Museum board president.

Thank you to writer Madison Darbyshire for sharing this remarkable world with a wider audience. Read the full story below!

A growing community of miniaturists is painstakingly re-creating everyday life at just 1/12th the size.

09/17/2026

Meet Amanda Kelly, the artist behind The Need to Keep.

Amanda is an artist, miniaturist, and educator whose award-winning work has been exhibited in galleries and museums nationwide. She holds an MFA from Radford University and degrees in Art History and Illustration from the Fashion Institute of Technology, where she currently teaches. Her work has been featured by Esquire, Atlas Obscura, NPR, and The Book of Mini by Kate Ünver.

Museum members are invited to meet Amanda and experience The Need to Keep: Works by Amanda Kelly before it opens to the public.

Members-Only Opening Reception
Thursday, September 24
6:00–8:00 p.m.
Artist Talk at 7:00 p.m.

Not a member yet? Join today to attend the reception and enjoy a year of museum membership benefits:
https://theminitimemachine.org/membership/

09/15/2026

Something NEW is coming to Tiny Tales! 🐉🎨

Join Fairy Caitlin, Commander Fyrewynd, Rico, and Fyrecracker this Wednesday for a special Tiny Tales for Tots featuring There’s a Dragon in Your Book by Tom Fletcher.

And this month, the story continues after storytime with Color the Story!

Stay after Tiny Tales for a coloring activity inspired by the day’s story and our Museum collection. This month, young visitors can color their own version of a dragon found in our miniature worlds.

📖 Tiny Tales for Tots
Wednesday, September 16 at 11 AM
🎨 Color the Story follows
Included with Museum admission

Come for the story. Stay to color it.

09/13/2026

We’re grateful to receive an FY2027 Creative Capacity Grant from the Arizona Commission on the Arts.

Last year, this support helped us present Ray Harryhausen: Miniature Models of the Silver Screen. This year’s grant will support upcoming exhibitions and help us continue bringing significant examples of miniature art, craftsmanship, and storytelling to our community.

Thank you to the Arizona Commission on the Arts for investing in arts organizations throughout Arizona!

09/13/2026

What do the objects we keep reveal about us?

From a coffin towing a U-Haul to a nostalgic pocket-sized toy, The Need to Keep: Works by Amanda Kelly uses miniature scale to draw viewers into environments that are often hidden from view, inviting us to consider the stories behind the objects within them.

Kelly’s scenes contain no human figures. Instead, accumulated possessions and signs of use suggest a recent presence. By recreating these environments in miniature and rendering their contents in careful detail, Kelly draws attention to individual objects and the emotional significance they can carry.

The photographs feature:
• You Can’t Tow a UHaul to the Grave
• A detail from Pocket Hoarder
• A detail from The Avalanche
• An example from the Miniature Trash Scene Workshop

The Need to Keep: Works by Amanda Kelly
September 25, 2026–April 11, 2027

MEMBERS-ONLY EXHIBITION PREVIEW
Thursday, September 24 | 6–8 PM

MINIATURE TRASH SCENE WORKSHOP
Friday, September 25 | Noon–4 PM

Learn more about the exhibition and upcoming events at the link below.

https://theminitimemachine.org/exhibitions/the-need-to-keep-amanda-kelly/

The Museum is grateful to the National Alliance on Mental Illness NAMI Southern Arizona for its guidance in helping us present this subject matter thoughtfully and respectfully.

09/11/2026

Please join us in welcoming Katherine Leddy, our new Registrar!

Katherine is responsible for the day-to-day care, management, and documentation of the Museum’s collections. She previously worked in the collections department at the Museum of Northern Arizona in Flagstaff and holds a master’s degree in Anthropology from Northern Arizona University, along with bachelor’s degrees in Art History and Anthropology.

When asked to choose a favorite miniature, Katherine selected Log Cabin, a 1987 work by Thomas and Catherine Latané depicting the log cabin home of children’s author Laura Ingalls Wilder.

“I was really excited when I saw this piece. The Little House on the Prairie series was one of my favorites as a kid, and seeing this work brought me back to my childhood. I also love cats, so I was extra delighted by the kittens playing in the attic!”

We’re delighted to have Katherine caring for the many stories, details, and works of art held within our collection.

09/09/2026

We’re hiring a Museum Services Manager!

We’re looking for an organized, people-focused leader to oversee the daily visitor experience at The Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures.

This position supervises our Museum Services team, supports welcoming and accessible visits, coordinates group tours and private events, and helps manage Museum programs and daily operations.

Tucson, Arizona
Full-time, exempt position
Regular Sunday availability required
$40,000–$45,000, plus benefits

A bachelor’s degree is preferred but not required. We welcome applicants with strong communication and people skills, customer-service experience, and an interest in helping visitors connect with miniature art, craftsmanship, and storytelling.

Applications will be reviewed beginning immediately and accepted until the position is filled.

Learn more and find application instructions: https://theminitimemachine.org/about/job-opportunities/

Please share this opportunity with someone who may be a great fit for our team!

09/07/2026

This Saturday, students from the Catalina Foothills High School Chamber Music Club will fill the Museum with live music as part of their work to bring chamber music into the community.

Come hear these talented young musicians perform among our miniature worlds.

Saturday, September 12 at 2:30 PM
Included with Museum admission.