I'm not entirely sure why, but there is something extremely appealing and satisfying about tiny scale models of everyday things.

Many adults build and furnish doll's houses or collect scale models of trains, and part of the appeal, I think, is the miniaturisation itself. Certainly some of the wonderful models we have at The Science Museum are captivating in themselves, regardless of one's interest in, say, fire-engines.

As a building addict I am naturally drawn to model buildings, from architects' models, through doll's houses to tiny souvenir houses little larger than a matchbox.

For a tour of a truly amazing dolls house, visit this page at the Chigaco Museum of Science and Industry.