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Miniature backgammon table

Big History, Miniature Collection

The Kruger Collection of Miniature Furnishings and Decorative Arts consists of fine-scale contemporary art miniatures, sampling four centuries of interior design history in miniature. Unique to Nebraska, the Kruger Collection blends craft, creativity and history.

Eloise Kruger collected most of the miniatures in the collection and commissioned many of them.

About the Miniatures

The 20,000 miniatures in the Kruger Collection consist of English and American styles of furniture representing styles dating from the sixteenth century to the twentieth century. Most of the miniatures were made by miniature makers in the 1960s-80s, but there are some antique pieces in the collection.

As her collection grew, so did her eye for quality pieces. Mrs. Kruger became a loyal patron of famous miniature makers such as Eric Pearson, Betty Valentine, Mell Prescott, and Eugene Kupjack.

Miniature horseshoe table
Miniature folding table

Kruger Masterpieces: Inside and Out

Discover the details of a miniature in this up-close look at signature pieces in the Kruger Collection.

View the online collection

Chairs

Online Archive

The collection is digitizing its thousands of pieces of miniature furniture and decorative arts—about 3,000 so far.

View the archive

Eloise Kruger

Lincoln, Nebraska resident Eloise Andrews Kruger began collecting miniatures in the late 1930s. Miniatures were the perfect outlet to combine her love of history, interior design, and research.

Her dedication to acquiring historically accurate pieces led to the development of one of the most impressive miniature collections in the country. At the time of her death in 1995, her miniature collection numbers over 20,000 pieces.

Because of her strong belief in education, the family of Eloise Kruger donated her research library, notes, correspondence, and all her miniatures to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1997.

Eloise Kruger
Fireplace schematic

The Kruger Papers

As a meticulous record keeper, Kruger captured her method as a miniature collector. The papers in her collection document the purchase of the miniatures through correspondence with miniature makers, receipts, and trips to conventions. She connected with many notable miniature artisans of the twentieth-century, including Eric Pearson, Eugene Kupjack, Bob Carlisle, Warren Dick, Mell Prescott, and Betty Valentine.

The archive is available for research.

Guide to the Eloise Kruger papers

Support the Collection

Your donation to the Eloise Kruger Fund in Interior Design will sustain the Kruger Collection through:

  • Exhibition support
  • Educational projects for students
  • Outreach efforts
  • General operating costs
  • Collections care and maintenance

Donate to the Collection