Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites is offering a rare opportunity to explore miniature neighborhoods locked inside a climate-controlled vault with the “Behind the Scenes Dollhouse Tour” at The Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts, Bethlehem.

The pieces from the Elizabeth Johnston Prime Dollhouse Collection are in an environmentally-controlled vault that protects the works of art from moisture, temperature changes and potential damage.

Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites has announced a third round of dates and times for the “Behind the Scenes Antique Dollhouse Tour” after the first two runs of dates sold out.

During a tour for a reporter for The Press, Kemerer Museum docent Ron Mordosky says, “This was one of the 44 dollhouses that came to us in the will of Elizabeth Johnston Prime.”

Built in 1830, the oldest piece in the Prime collection, a mahogany Pennsylvania cupboard house, is a rare Empire American Dollhouse of four rooms with its original furnishings.

According to a yellowed typewritten note posted inside the cabinet door: “In 1870, the doll house was brought down the Allegheny River on a raft, to Rochester, Pa.”

Mordosky pointed out examples of scaled-down structures created by renowned dollhouse designers from Germany, Moritz Gottschalk and Christian Hacker.

Gottschalk’s circa 1880 grocery store is painted red and gilt. It comes with a counter, merchandise-filled shelves, labeled drawers, cash register and a clerk and her dog, among its plethora of fine details.

One of the tallest dollhouses is the “Livingston,” a four-story Georgian style city house circa 1850.

Mordosky was tasked with refurnishing the building with furniture and other pieces that had been packed away for shipping.

“Seven or eight years ago I got a call that said, ‘Do I like jigsaw puzzles?’” relates Mordosky on how he became involved with getting the collection ready for display. “‘We have a 6,000-piece jigsaw puzzle for you.’

Fortunately, someone photographed the rooms in New York before taking everything out and packing it up to transport to Pennsylvania. It was fun, but sometimes tedious work for the longtime Kemerer volunteer, piecing everything back together to match the photos. This structure alone, housed more than 300 pieces.

Mordosky outfitted the rest of the collection following photographs or his own imagination.

Sandwiched between the “Livingston,” and an even taller dollhouse called the “Thorndike Mansion,” is a petite gabled 2.5-story dollhouse crafted by Hacker circa 1890 and filled with Victorian furniture.

The Lilliputian families and their servants occupy lavish highly-detailed surroundings that include mini-musical instruments, actual marble tabletops, and even a tiny bearskin rug or two.

Two of the dollhouses have electric lights. Another is equipped with a rooftop cistern and sinks with working faucets.

In addition to small shops and houses, the collection has a castle under siege, stables, train station and an intricate 1850s Noah’s Ark with the Biblical family wearing 19th century style hats and a menagerie of domestic and wild animals. A pair of doves is perched on the gabled roof.

Prime spent a lifetime adding to her vast collection. She only put pieces in each house that were period-appropriate, including the china.

Prime’s grandfather was Archibald Johnston, the first mayor of Bethlehem when the north and south municipalities consolidated in 1917.

After marrying Sylvester Prime, the couple settled in New York City where she enjoyed entertaining friends with visits to her collection. Childless herself, Prime only purchased pieces that had been played with and “loved” by children. She donated her collection to the Kemerer Museum when she died in 2006.

“Behind the Scenes Antique Dollhouse Tour”: 3 p.m., 4:15 p.m. Aug. 14; noon, 1:15 p.m. Aug. 21; noon, 1:15 p.m. Sept. 13; noon. 1:15 p.m. Sept. 27. Limited to eight attendees per tour. Tickets required.

Attendees on the Aug. 14 tour may stay for the Kemerer Museum’s “Sip & Shop,” where they can sample a selection of cocktails, mocktails and local products; check out the “Cordially Invited” and “Checking In” exhibitions; and meet and connect with local artists. “Sip & Shop” is held 5-8 p.m. second Thursdays.

“Checking In: Bethlehem’s Alluring Accommodations,” an exhibition about the history of Bethlehem’s hospitality landmarks, continues through July 31.

The Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts, 427 N. New St., Bethlehem. Gallery hours: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sunday. By appointment Monday - Thursday. 610-882-0450, https://www.historicbethlehem.org/

“Gallery View” is a column about artists, exhibitions and galleries. To request coverage, email: Paul Willistein, Focus editor, pwillistein@tnonline.com