In 2009, Francis M. Light (1931-2012) founded the nonprofit Midwest Miniatures Museum to house her miniatures collection and those of its predecessor, the National Miniatures Trust Museum (2007-2009).

Initially, the Museum's home was a historic farmhouse on the grounds of the Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners, MI. When it proved ill-suited for the Museum's growth, Light began searching for a new home. 

 

A revived search for a new home led the Museum board to acquire the historic 1899 Nathan & Esther Robbins House in Grand Haven, MI in 2019. Now with a new home, the Museum set forth on an adaptive reuse project that transformed the celebrated landmark into a museum while honoring its foundational roots in the community. 

Finally, after the installation of lighting tracks, new security, a fire suppression system, and more, the Museum opened the doors of the newly retrofitted Robbins House on November 6, 2021. Sadly, Light passed away in 2012 and was unable to see the her dreams for the museum come to life, but her love of miniatures lives on through the donation of her personal collection and generous bequest.