Publication Date

Fall 2020

Abstract

Kempf House tells the story of a middle-class, German American family from the late 1800s to the middle of the next century and reinforces the story with objects, many of which belonged to the Kempfs. The Kempf House has a dollhouse which is not original to the house or family; it was not enhancing the tour as it could have because of its poor condition and sparse furnishings. This paper documents Kempf House dollhouse restoration project, in which the author repaired and augmented the dollhouse to resemble one an 1890s middle-class family may have owned. She researched the history of dollhouses and their role in American culture as well as how to create and repair dollhouses and 1:12 scale miniatures. She also researched late-Victorian culture to more accurately portray the Kempfs' lives and reinforce the tour's interpretive themes. The author stripped and refinished some existing miniatures, repaired others and created many more, including mattresses, quilts, books and children's toys. The project took approximately ten months, from March 2012 to January 2013, when it was reinstalled and staged. The dollhouse has been a success; its improved condition harmonizes with the well-maintained objects with which it is surrounded. Visitors engage with it, taking time to look closely and point out interesting details. There is further potential, however: the dollhouse could serve as a test case for increasing visitor engagement at the Kempf House Museum by allowing visitors to directly interact with and touch the items and encouraging child visitors to use their imaginations while playing with the miniatures.

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