dyer-botsford doll museum

If you think that all you are going to see are a bunch of old dolls you are very mistaken. The Dyer-Botsford Historical House and Doll Museum is packed full of local historical items so much so that they are running out of room. I have never been in a museum or home that has so much crammed inside. Not the most organized museum but with everything they have on display it would be hard to make everything flow smoothly. We arrived at 3pm knowing that they closed at 4. Our guide raced through her spiel so fast that she must have thought we were double parked. She had so much information to impart that she really didn't have time for questions. However, she did finish the tour by 4 but we wished we had come earlier so that we could have browsed the rooms again. While the dolls are the centerpiece there is much to interest a man like myself. The hand carved circus and the story that goes with it is one of the highlights here. The period furniture and households items are quite impressive. That being said there are an awful lot of dolls here. Ceramic, porcelain and bisque are the best types but all the different styles are interesting. I didn't realize that many celebrities like John Wayne and Groucho Marx had dolls made in their likeness. Apparently every woman who has a doll collection passes them onto this museum and they are now overflowing with them. They will need to weed some of them out soon. So I really would recommend this house to any woman or man as local history is well represented here and even if dolls hold no interest for you there is more than enough to focus on to make this a worthwhile stop. Also, since this is the oldest frame house in Dyersville it deserves to be an important local attraction. So when in Dyersville save some time for this home while you are seeing the farm toys, Basilica and Field of Dreams. It is every bit as interesting as those places and in some ways a lot more. When finished you will agree that it was $5 well spent. I hope stairs aren't a problem for you as there are quite a few of them here.

All the different dolls from all over the world are worth seeing, but I was pleasantly surprised by the old clothing and furniture in the basement and on the first floor. All were in excellent condition, so you can get a good idea of how they would have looked when the original owners first obtained them. They had some old magazines, letters and other items, including info on Ernest Hemingway's grandparents, who lived in Dyersville. The mini-circus, clothing, old tools including hairstyling equipment, etc. in the basement were fun to see too. The museum isn't all dolls!As for the dolls, they have everything from old to fairly recent, creepy to pretty. Some were quite humorous. Just a note, this historic home has some rather steep stairs and no ramps or other accessibility aids.

The old house and furnishings are interesting, our guide was thorough and excellent. Surprisingly, this heterosexual male found the dolls interesting; some real antique dolls, plus Kewpie dolls, Barbies, Shirley Temple, and much more. The dolls with three faces were a little creepy, two are supposed to be covered by a bonnet, I think. Each room is a surprise.

My husband and I spent over one and half hours touring this amazing house and doll museum. Our guide Jeanette was very informative and pleasent. She showed us every inch of the house incuding the basement. Not only are the dolls exciting to see, but the furnishings in the house are magnificent. For a tour of yesteryear this is a must to see!!!!!!