Benjamin Franklin, take note. There are actually three things that are inevitable in life: death, taxes and the universal adorableness of tiny objects. From babies and puppies to mini jars of Bonne Maman preserves, it’s only the most incorrigible grump that doesn’t squeal (at least silently) at the sight of all things small. This inescapable truth is part—but not all—of the reason behind the appeal of the model village, a phenomenon that started in England in 1929 with Bekonscot Model Village and spread throughout Europe and the world. Out-of-context miniature monuments—like the Blue Mosque and Temple of Artemis at Istanbul’s Miniatürk—may be faithful renditions. But model villages depict not just mini buildings and people, they also show a model way of life. This story is from Kinfolk Issue Forty-Three Buy Now Related Stories Arts & Culture Issue 37 Haatepah Clearbear First, Haatepah Clearbear learned about his past. Now the young model is using that knowledge to advocate for Native American futures—and the planet. Arts & Culture Issue 50 Close Knit Close Knit: Meet the weavers keeping traditional Egyptian tapestrymaking alive. Arts & Culture Issue 50 The Old Gays Inside a Californian TikTok “content house” of a very different stripe. Arts & Culture Issue 50 New Roots The Palestinian art and agriculture collective sowing seeds of community. Arts & Culture Issue 50 Angela Trimbur An all-out tour de force. Arts & Culture Issue 50 Peace & Quiet In the UK, a centuries-old Quaker meeting house encourages quiet reflection.
Arts & Culture Issue 37 Haatepah Clearbear First, Haatepah Clearbear learned about his past. Now the young model is using that knowledge to advocate for Native American futures—and the planet.
Arts & Culture Issue 50 Close Knit Close Knit: Meet the weavers keeping traditional Egyptian tapestrymaking alive.
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Arts & Culture Issue 50 New Roots The Palestinian art and agriculture collective sowing seeds of community.
Arts & Culture Issue 50 Peace & Quiet In the UK, a centuries-old Quaker meeting house encourages quiet reflection.
