A History of Beauty: Helena Rubinstein’s Miniature Rooms

These rooms, which were originally displayed in the collector’s home in 1935, represent a tradition of miniature houses, which first emerged in Germany and Holland in the 17th century, with the aim of enchanting and astonishing their viewers.

Visitors are invited to stroll down a typical Tel Aviv street and gaze through the building windows into tiny, mesmerizing time capsules that reveal rooms filled with highly detailed objects, whose style ranges from that of the 16th century to that of the early 20th century.

You are invited to peer into a 19th-cenetury Victorian parlor, to study a rustic Austrian kitchen from the same period, to scrutinize antiques in an English old curiosity shop from close to 180 years ago, or to imagine the life of a bohemian artist in a studio in Montmartre, Paris, in the early 20th century.

In her autobiographical book My Life for Beauty, Helena Rubinstein wrote: “Connoisseurs and art critics have traveled from many lands to see these miniature rooms, but I think I enjoy showing them to children most of all.”

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🎧 Tel Aviv Museum of Art’s Podcast for Kids (in Hebrew)
A History of Beauty: Helena Rubinstein's Miniature Rooms

We will take a fascinating journey through Helena Rubinstein's collection of miniatures, which she started gathering as a child. In each episode we will visit fascinating, tiny time capsules, revealing rooms full of items from different historical periods. The rooms are made in a variety of styles, matching the collector’s “colorful” personality. We will get to know miniature objects that represent items which are no longer in use or have undergone significant transformation.

The podcast is available for listening during a visit to the exhibition or at any other time.

Enjoy! >