News From the Director

Ever feel like you're waiting for a sign?

We sure did...until this month!

Those of you who had the chance to visit our museum on or after World Doll Day got a look at our new sign, which was hand-painted in vivid color and detail by a local artist.

Things can feel so impersonal at times in an age of AI and digital communication. That's why it is really special for us to have a sign that truly represents who we are.

Our sign is lovingly handcrafted, organic, playful, heartfelt, and human. Hopefully those are also words you'd use to describe our museum and mission!

Scroll down to take a look, and let us know what you think about our new sign!

Don't miss the other highlights in this email, including a local art project that featured the museum, upcoming events for the summer and fall, and a few amazing event recaps from the summer.

As always, thank you for your support. Just like our sign artist, you are bringing a beautiful vision to life.

Happy Independence Day, everyone!

Beth M. Nance

Founder and Executive Director

PS - we are OPEN today as well as Friday and Saturday July 5 & 6! Stop by this week and celebrate Independence Day!

Museum News:

Our Sign Is Here!

Plan your visit today and see this beautiful new sign in-person! We're open Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 10 am to 4 pm.

In Our Community:

Art Rolls Us Forward

Our museum has become a proud part of an art lesson on “architectural gems of Rowan County NC” for students grades 3-11 through the nonprofit Fresh Artists, an organization dedicated to helping students access the healing and transformative power of art and community giving.

One surprising aspect of this depiction of our museum was the inclusion of a visitor in a wheelchair. The students may not have realized that a doll collector with disabilities - Amy Dawn Morris - is the reason our museum exists!

It was extra special to us that whether or not they knew about this connection to the disability community, the students made that choice to show that our museum is open to everyone - and that collectors come from all walks (and rolls) of life!

We are so impressed and moved by their work!

Upcoming Events

Summer Dates!

Afternoon Tea & Family Fun

Join us in July and August for Afternoon Tea & Family Fun events that include the afternoon tea experience you love with an added family film!

All children must be accompanied by an adult.

Sat, July 5

2 pm to 4 pm

Sat, August 2

2 pm to 4 pm

All ages!

$5 for museum members.

$10 for non-members plus museum admission.

at the NC Museum of Dolls, Toys & Miniatures

440 South Salisbury Ave

Spencer, NC 28159

Call us to RSVP: (704) 762-9359

Super Saturdays Return July 12

Join us every second Saturday for our Super Saturday Sales events!

We have an INCREDIBLE selection right now! Shop for deeply discounted dolls, toys, trains, trucks, and more. All your purchases directly support the museum!

All our monthly Super Saturday Sales are held at the First Community Center of Spencer located at 215 5th Street, Spencer, NC. Elevator is working!

This event is within easy walking or driving distance to the museum, which will be open on July 12 from 10 am to 4 pm.

Here are our Super Saturday dates for 2025:

• Saturday, July 12 from 10 am to 2 pm
• Saturday, Aug 9 from 10 am to 2 pm
• Saturday, Sept 13 from 10 am to 2 pm
• Saturday, Nov 8 from 10 am to 2 pm
• Saturday, Oct 11 from 10 am to 2 pm
• Saturday, Dec 13 from 10 am to 2 pm

Registration Open Now!

Schoenhut Collectors' Club Annual Convention

We are thrilled to announce that the 2025 Schoenhut Collectors' Club annual convention will be held here at the museum!

Nov 6-8, 2025

A magical 3-day event for Schoenhut collectors, historians, and fans alike. Local sightseeing, shopping, and shared celebrations of this one-of-a-kind legacy.

Full event schedule and registration details are now available on our website:

Mini Magic:

Lakeland Miniatures Show

We had a fabulous time in Florida at the Lakeland Miniatures Show with the Lakeland Miniatures Guild!

Thanks for the opportunity to share our museum with the community and see some exceptional work - from mermaids to mini murder scenes!

...and More Mini Magic!

Mooresville Miniature Show

Mini magic, major summer fun!! In addition to our Florida adventures, we got the chance to showcase the museum at the 12th annual Mooresville Miniature Show.

We would like to thank Maria Cannizzaro for the opportunity to promote the museum to this passionate community.

It was so great seeing our mini-friends and making new ones!

Recap:

Fill-a-Bag Sale on World Doll Day

We are so grateful that you helped to make our first-ever Fill-a-Bag Sale a big success!

With hundreds of bags sold and more than 70 people in line before our doors opened, our enthusiasm was so energizing to our staff and volunteers as we watched you fill bag after bag with beautiful dolls and accessories.

It was extra special to hold our Bag Sale on World Doll Day, as it truly felt like the doll community came out in full force to shop and support the museum!

Recap:

World Doll Day at the Museum

World Doll Day is an annual favorite at the museum, and this year was more exciting than ever! We loved welcoming in the doll community to connect with one another, enjoy our collection, and take home a souvenir doll.

Thank you to the staff and volunteers who helped make June 14 a jolly dolly delight!

Our specially designed World Doll Day T-shirts are still available, and they are the perfect way to share your love for dolls all year 'round. Reach out if you'd like to purchase a t-shirt. We can ship to you!

Collection Spotlight:

Smart Doll Donations

We have had multiple chances to connect with the generous and kind members of the Carolina Smart Doll Club over the past few years. They share a love for Smart Doll - an extremely innovative modern doll line from Japan.

The club came together this month and invited the community to join them in celebrating one of their own: passionate collector Tommy Meggs.

As part of their celebration of Tommy's life and legacy in the Smart Doll community (and beyond), they planned a heartfelt donation to the museum.

Meet Smart Doll Mirai!

We knew it would be a special gathering, but we didn’t know that Smart Doll founder Danny Choo was also sending a donation of his own…

Danny sent us the incredible clear cortex frame you see on display with Mirai. This is a rare prototype that is a one-of-a-kind and highly modern addition to the museum!

“It shows the intricacies of these dolls,” explained Carolina Smart Doll Club co-founder David. “They’re cute and beautiful, but there’s also a lot of engineering behind them.”

Founded by Danny Choo, Smart Doll is an exquisitely crafted and unique modern doll line that reflects creativity, inclusivity, and self-expression.

The handmade dolls stand at 60cm or 23.6 inches and are made in Tokyo, Japan with an internal skeleton frame and telescoping stand designed with doll collectors of all ages in mind.

Inclusion is central to the brand’s identity with Smart Dolls that reflect unique body shapes, a wide range of skin tones, vitiligo, birthmarks, medical diagnoses and equipment, and neurodivergent representation.

The most common question we get about Smart Doll is, "So, what do they do?"

Don't let the name confuse you! While these dolls were originally envisioned as tech-integrated companions, right now, they are primarily tech-free vinyl fashion dolls.

As innovative and new as they are in the doll world, no tech-savvy or Wi-Fi connections are required to enjoy these beauties.

What makes them "smart dolls" isn't technology: it's the way they are designed carefully and thoughtfully for customization, personalization, photography, crafting, and fashion fun.

The Smart Doll community is as diverse as the dolls they love!

We are so grateful for the opportunity to showcase Smart Doll at the museum. Our collection is full of legacies and stories, and now this display can honor how Tom impacted the doll community with his passion and love for the community.

“We wanted to do something to honor Tommy and support the museum, which Tommy loved...”

Tom was a founding member of the Carolina Smart Doll Club and the reason the club began attending doll shows to showcase the artistry and diversity of Smart Dolls.

Today, the Carolina Smart Doll Club’s Smart Doll showcase exhibits are a heartfelt staple at doll shows both here in our area and afar. These gatherings bring together Smart Doll collectors and members of the doll community of all ages to celebrate the beauty, craftsmanship, originality, and diversity of dolls—and it never would have happened if not for Tom.

The Smart Doll community has grown thanks to his contributions and his passion.

Tom and his wife, Misty, loved our museum.

He passed away in 2022 yet left a lasting impact on our community and the doll world, showing us the power of passion to defy stereotypes, celebrate diversity and art, and bring people together in laughter, joy, and love. 

Museum Moment:

Dolls for All!

We are asked from time to time whether we ever take dolls into the community or if all our dolls stay local to the museum.

Well, here is the answer! We LOVE sharing dolls in our community whenever we can.

We know they can evoke emotions and memories while creating special moments here and now.

Museum Moment:

Supporting Nonprofits

A special shout-out to the fellow nonprofits who joined us locally for a grassroots grant program here at the museum.

Support and memberships don't just help our museum but also give other causes and nonprofits in the community a place to gather and nourish each other!

Museum Memberships

This membership list was last updated on June 15, 2025.

Your annual membership provides critical funding for our maintenance, acquisitions, and programming. To see the different levels of membership we offer and sign up, click here.

You can pay your dues by mailing in a check, or you can pay online.

Thank You! 

Thanks to you, our mission continues to preserve history, enrich the community, and spread joy.

Reply to this email if you’d like to connect with a member of our staff, volunteer, share feedback, or make a suggestion. We love hearing from you!