Gallery director owns city of miniatures

In West Michigan there exists a city comprised of a grand museum, an authentic Chinese theater, bountiful dining rooms, exotic rooftop patios and even a chapel on top of a mountain. The residents of this city are tiny mice dressed as nuns, wizards, soldiers, tourists, pilots, chefs, societal elites, film directors and museum curators.

If this city doesn’t sound familiar, that’s because it can’t be found on a map. The complex resides in the living room of Henry Matthews, director of Galleries and Collections at Grand Valley State University.

Matthews joined the niche culture of miniature collectors roughly 20 years ago, and now owns a complex currently housing thousands of miniature items from all over the world. His interest in miniatures began with a dollhouse from his daughter’s childhood.

“My daughter, Amalia, didn’t have much interest in it so we left it alone, but then I started collecting miniature things, like the items found in the dollhouse,” Matthews said.

Eventually, the bookshelves in Matthews' Grand Rapids home could no longer contain his growing collection, so he designed a complex for his miniatures. Thus far, it consists of seven structures resting on a 5- by 8-foot base, with the tallest tower standing at 11 feet.

The inspirations for Matthews’ designs primarily come from various historical landmarks and architecture he has encountered during his international travels. His six-story museum wing, for example, is “loosely modeled” after Peter the Great’s Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia. Miniatures, ranging from dinosaur skeletons to a collection of European crowns, can be found in the museum.

“I’m now looking for unique, one-of-a-kind pieces,” Matthews said. “As you get better at any hobby and learn more about it, you keep going to a higher level.”

Around the corner from the museum sits a two-story chapel resting atop an alchemist’s apartment hidden within a rocky mountainside made of Styrofoam, and beyond the Great Hall wing, currently showcasing an Egyptian art exhibit, sits an authentic Chinese theater.

Matthews said his most treasured items are those with meaningful stories. For example, located on one of the complex’s rooftop gardens — which change in decor and landscaping seasonally — is a replica of late artist Cyril Lixenberg’s sculpture, “Amaranth.” The full-scale version resides outside of Mackinac Hall on Grand Valley's Allendale Campus.

A number of museums have expressed interest in displaying the complex in the past, but challenging transportation logistics have put the kibosh on possible exhibitions. “It’s too overwhelming because each room is literally filled with hundreds of things,” Matthews said.

Despite the attention his collection has received over the years, Matthews said he’s simply following a passion. “In the end, this is all just about having fun."

To find out more about Matthews' collection, visit the latest issue of Grand Valley Magazine .