BETHLEHEM, Pa. — It's a feast for the eyes of historical dollhouse and miniatures enthusiasts, and a limited amount of the public has just five more chances to dine.
Opening its temperature-controlled vault, the Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts is offering a rare opportunity this summer to take in the Elizabeth Johnston Prime Dollhouse Collection.
"More than 6,000 meticulously crafted miniature pieces, including dolls, furniture, paintings, animals, rugs, dishes and chandeliers."Kemerer Museum release
It's a behind-the-scenes tour that gives exclusive access to an extensive 6,000 pieces that once belonged to the late Prime, whose grandfather, Archibald B. Johnston, was the first mayor of Bethlehem, in 1918, and chairman of Bethlehem Steel Corp.
The guided miniatures tours — limited to eight people each — are at noon June 28, July 5 and 26, and Aug. 16 and 30. The Kemerer Museum is at 427 N. New St.
Tickets are $30 for the public and $25 for Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites members and can be bought at historicbethlehem.org or by calling 610-882-0450.
Prime passed away in 2006 in Manhattan and is buried in Nisky Hill Cemetery. She was 79.
"More than 6,000 meticulously crafted miniature pieces, including dolls, furniture, paintings, animals, rugs, dishes and chandeliers," make up the display, according to a release.
All original furniture, accessories
Prime donated the collection to HBMS and the museum.
She "was so precise in her collecting that she only put pieces in each house that were period-appropriate, right down to the chinaware," the release said.
Prime's 44 exquisite dollhouses include some created by renowned German dollhouse designers Moritz Gottschalk and Christian Hacker.
The oldest dollhouse in the collection was constructed in 1820 and has a storied history that includes floating down the Allegheny River in western Pennsylvania.
A cabinet house was made in Warren County, Pennsylania, and is made of mahogany. It includes all the original furniture and accessories, the release states.
Period-accurate stores, stables, mansions and verandas round out the collection, all of which represents each decade from 1820 to 1930.
The Kemerer Museum is among just 15 decorative arts museums in the country.
All of the pieces in the Prime collection are housed in an environmentally controlled vault that protects the works of art from moisture, temperature changes and any potential damage.
