In a northern Michigan wood, where the world’s largest crucifix rises from among the trees, there’s another example of “the largest” stature. In the lower level of the nearby Cross in the Woods Catholic Shrine sits the nation’s largest collection of dolls and mannequins of nuns.
The Nun Doll Museum, in Indian River, Michigan, is a collection of more than 525 dolls and 20 mannequins in the traditional garb of nuns.
Walking into the building from the shrine, you’ll pass through the chapel lobby and up a ramp, which winds around to the museum’s entrance. Immediately you’ll see a recessed wall-sized glass case filled with dolls. The museum covers several small rooms and hallways, each covered with dolls dressed in habits and labeled with their order, city, and state or country. Since admission is free, you won’t find an admission desk or docents but just a guest book inviting you to register.
Small Beginnings for the Nun Doll Museum
What is now the world’s most extensive collection of nun dolls began in 1945 as a childhood hobby. As a girl of about 8, Sally Traub began dressing her dolls as nuns in their traditional habits by sewing the outfits herself.
A lot of slow, painstaking research went into creating these order-accurate outfits in the days before the World Wide Web. Sally interviewed and corresponded with members of various religious orders so she could develop authentic habits for the dolls.
As time passed, her collection became a way of preserving some of the Catholic Church’s history. During the 1960s, after Vatican II, the nuns in most religious communities switched from traditional habits to plain clothes and added a pin or cross representing their specific congregation or order. But Sally continued to dress her dolls in their traditional habits, representing various orders and ministries.
When you think of traditional habits, the typical black-and-white ones probably come to mind. But a range of colors and styles existed among the orders. This helped identify whether a sister belonged to, say, the Benedictine, Carmelite, or Dominican orders.
Holy Spirit of Perpetual Adoration ©Amy Piper
For example, the nuns of Mother Teresa’s Missionary of Charity wore white habits trimmed in blue. Those of the Combini Missionaries of Versona wore a white habit trimmed with red buttons and a red corded scapular. And there are outliers: One doll illustrating an atypical habit is from the Servants of the Holy Spirit of Perpetual Adoration, dressed in pink and white.
The dolls are mostly between 12 and 18 inches tall and feature the nuns’ complete dress: the tunic, scapular, cincture, coif, veil, and shoes.
Creating the Museum
After Sally got married in 1957, Sally’s husband, Wally Rogalski, supported her passion and even built display cases to showcase the dolls.
In addition to making the dresses herself, she sent some dolls to religious communities who volunteered to dress the dolls in the habit of their order. Sally continued to create her collection until she finally decided to share it with a broader audience.
In 1964, the Rogalskis donated 230 dolls to the shrine, stipulating that the church never charge an admission fee, ensuring everyone could enjoy the dolls regardless of ability to pay.
After her initial donation, Sally continued to dress dolls as nuns with the help of the orders they represented. Her contributions continued until 525 dolls became part of the collection.
The collection is the largest in the United States, representing Diocesan clergy and the religious orders of over 217 sisters, priests, and brothers. You’ll find dolls representing Mother Teresa, the Sisters of Mercy, and the Franciscans, to name a few.
The museum added variety to the nun doll collection by gathering department store-style mannequins and dressing them in the garments of the Catholic clergy. You can easily compare the dress of deacons, priests, bishops, and cardinals.
Their efforts didn’t go unnoticed. In 1988, Sally and Wally received a papal blessing from Pope John Paul II for promoting vocations in the priesthood and religious life. Today, the nun doll collection is a testament to Sally’s childhood hobby and dedication to preserving the Catholic Church’s history.
The Man on the Cross
While you’re there, be sure to spend some time looking at The Man on the Cross, a Marshall Fredericks-designed sculpture constructed from Oregon redwood that grew when Jesus walked the earth. The cross, the tallest in the world, is 55 feet tall and 22 feet wide. The bronze body weighs seven tons and is 28 feet tall.
In good weather, you can attend mass in the bench-style outdoor seating, while during rain or snowy Michigan winters, you can go inside and sit in the chapel to pray or reflect. The pews face floor-to-ceiling windows, where the crucifix is in full view.
The wooded grounds include the stations of the cross and several religious shrines.
If You Go
Indian River, a town of 2,133 people, is located about 30 miles south of the Mackinac Bridge. It sits at the center of the Inland Waterway, a 38-mile-long series of rivers and lakes connecting Lake Huron to a place 10 miles from Lake Michigan. So Indian River is the place to go for water-related fun.
The Inland Waterway includes Burt Lake, where you can enjoy boating, kayaking, fishing, and camping at Burt Lake State Park.
For more information on planning your trip to Indian River, check out Experience Indian River.
Pro Tip: The shrine doesn’t allow pets on its grounds.
You might also like:
- Get Off the Beaten Path in Ludington, Michigan
- Michigan Wine Country – A Guide to Exploring Its AVAs and Wine Trails
Amy Piper writes about her travel adventures on her blog Follow the Piper.
