Native Arts in Miniature

Native Arts in Miniature is on view at The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures, and it's one of those shows that stays with you long after you leave. It's been running since March 28, 2026, and will be there through January 25, 2027, so you've got plenty of time to catch it. The museum is at 5235 Oak Street, on the University of Missouri-Kansas City campus, with the exhibition held in the East Gallery.

The show brings together Native American artists working in miniature, and it's more than just a collection of small objects. Each piece is paired with a video interview and written interpretation, where the artists talk through their work, their techniques, and what inspires them. It's a rare chance to hear the artists in their own words rather than just reading a label on a wall. The exhibition explores tribal traditions, family heritage, and the creative ways these artists adapt their work to a tiny scale.

Among the artists on display are Donald Johnston (Qagan Tayagungin), Alex Kimball Williams (Bad Alaskan), and LaDonna Victoriano (Pueblo of Acoma). Johnston is an artist-in-residence here and a baleen basket weaver—one of the few still working with baleen, the filter-feeding system in the mouths of bowhead whales. His baskets have won top awards at the Heard Museum's Indian Fair + Market and the Santa Fe Indian Market. The whole show was guided by an advisory board of Native artists, including Travis Campbell, Naalkh DeAsis, Christina Haswood, Sydney Pursel, and Lawrence Namoki.

It's a fitting spot for it, too. The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures houses the world's largest collection of fine-scale miniatures and one of the nation's largest collections of historically significant toys on public display. The exhibition is supported by the City of Kansas City, the Missouri Arts Council, and several private partners. Admission is $12 per person, and it's free for members of federally recognized tribes.