Doll House.

Doll House

In a neatly kept Toronto neighborhood of densely packed two-story homes with cheek-to-cheek yards, one yard stands out in the middle of the block. Known locally as The Doll House, its small front yard is invisible beneath layers of stuffed and plastic dolls, cartoon characters, and holiday and commercial mascots.

A quick glance rewards the viewer with glimpses of Santa, Superman, clowns, witches, Bart Simpson, the Hulk, angels, Barbies, Teletubbies, The Cookie Monster, lawn snowmen, and various franchise Disney characters. For fun, try to spot the now-anonymous creatures who failed to leave a lasting impression.

The yard is the creation of homeowner Shirley Sumaisar, who said it became her hobby after her husband died. "People all over the world thank me," she told the Toronto Star in 2010.

The yard has remained essentially unchanged since at least 2007, and although some swapping out and replacement has inevitably occurred, The Doll House is a testament both to Shirley's tenacity and the decay-resistant properties of toy-gauge cloth and plastic.

Doll House

Address:: 37 Bertmount Ave., Toronto, ON, Canada
Directions:: North of Queen St. E, east side of street.
Hours:: Visible from street. Local health policies may affect hours and access.

Nearby Offbeat Places

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EdgeWalk: Quarter-Mile in the Air, Toronto, ON, Canada - 3 mi.

In the region:

The Gun That Killed President McKinley, Buffalo, NY - 55 mi.

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