The World's Largest Collection of Teddy Bears
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Most children have at least one teddy bear, and they often form a special bond with their bear that lasts throughout childhood 🪁. Jackie Miley grew up in foster care and never had a teddy bear. She now lives in Hill City, and she's become somewhat famous... for her collection of teddy bears.
Lots of people enjoy collecting sentimental items, but few have done it like Jackie Miley who has a house full of thousands of teddy bears . When it comes to childhood nostalgia, nothing is healthier than the teddy bear.
While many of us have kept one or two of these special friends, others have taken our collection of teddy bears 🧸 and stuffed animals to a whole new level, which can be seen up close and personal. Teddy Bear Town in South Dakota.
1) Who has the World's Largest Collection of Teddy Bears?
Jackie Miley, a 68-year-old American, set the world record for the world's largest collection of teddy bears 🌎 in 2018 in South Dakota.
2) The History of this Bear Collection: How did it Start?
The origins of the teddy bear date back to 1902, but Jackie Miley's collection began in 2000 with a bear nicknamed "Grandma Jackie" that she won while on vacation 🏖. She found the teddy bear characters so interesting that she continued to buy them wherever she traveled. She now owns a home filled with thousands of teddy bears in South Dakota, USA.
A- From 0 to 3,000 Teddy Bears
| "I never had a teddy bear as a kid - I didn't even know what a bear was until I was eight and saw one at the Minnesota State Fair. “, said Miley. |
After racking up nearly 3,000 teddy bears, friends started asking if she had submitted her collection to Guinness World Records 🏅 for review. After the eighth person asked her, she finally did.
In 2005, Jackie sent a detailed list including her collection of 3,610 bears to the Guinness Book of World Records, and it was official - she had the largest collection of teddy bears in the world!
B- Jackie Miley Continues To Grow Her Great Collection
In order to maintain her growing collection, Miley began visiting stores and thrift stores in her home country. She found the teddy bear characters so interesting that she kept buying them wherever she traveled 🛫.
In its assortment, the smallest teddy bear measures only 5 cm, the largest measuring almost 3 meters, according to Guinness. "Grandma Jackie" is now joined by thousands of teddy bears from every US state (including Alaska and Hawaii) as well as 29 other countries. Its oldest bear dates from 1905, which makes it 115 years old!
The collection is on display at a tourist attraction 📸 called Teddy Bear Town, located in Hill City, South Dakota.
C- How Many Teddy Bears Make Up His Collection?
In 2018, she already owned 8,026 teddy bears purchased while vacationing in other US states as well as 29 other countries, now, in 2020, thanks to teddy bear donations she owns over 11,000 !
D- Jackie Miley's Favorite Teddy Bear
Of the 8,026 bears in 2018, Jackie explains that although she doesn't have a favourite, there is one in particular that has great sentimental value 🤩 because someone bought it for her at her school.
| "They took the time to find my school picture (age 7) and pinned it to the bear. I was raised in foster homes and when I moved from place to place. other, all my photos got lost, so this photo is the only school photo I have". |
One of the reasons Jackie wants her collection to keep growing is because she finds teddy bears comforting , but she also enjoys sharing her collection with the public 🗣️.
You can now take a tour of his collection thanks to the video below (in English) from Guinness World Records:
3) Teddy Bear Town: the City of Teddy Bears
A- Teddy Bear Town
The collection has become so large that it is even a tourist attraction. Located in Hill City, South Dakota, Teddy Bear Town is home to the "largest collection of teddy bears" in the world and the Guinness Book of World Records 📘.
It has become a tourist place that is visited by many people who can admire the smallest teddy bear in the collection which measures only 5 cm and the largest measuring almost 3 m. The bear tour is free, as the attraction operates through donations.
You can find all the shapes, colors, sizes and origins of teddy bears imaginable there 💭! Also listed in Ripley's book "Believe It or Not", Teddy Bear Town has been listed several times in the Guinness Book of World Records and continues to hold the record for the largest collection of teddy bears which is estimated to be over of 11,000 stuffed animals!
B- A place that has become touristic
Considered a must-see for all ages, Teddy Bear Town is a summertime attraction that attracts guests from around the world , many of whom make their own contribution. The enchanting store in South Dakota will make you feel like a kid again!
If you go to visit the Teddy Bear Town, you will be amazed at how full of bears it is 🐻. They hang from the ceiling, sit on shelves, and even lounge on the floor. Only about 4,000 bears fit in this tiny house, with the rest being stored on a rotational basis.
C- Why Do People Around the World Bring a Teddy Bear to Teddy Bear Town?
Many people around the world contribute to this record by participating, by doing so guests can get their hands on this world record and add even more unique stuffed animals to the collection of Teddy Bear Town!
Thanks to donations from friends near and far, in 2020 Teddy Bear Town has over 11,000 stuffed animals from every US state and 29 foreign countries 🌐.
Fun fact: there are more teddy bears in Teddy Bear Town than there are people in Hill City (population: 948).
D- How and Where to Visit Teddy Bear Town?
Teddy Bear Town is open to the public from Memorial Day to Labor Day, and it's free! It is located at 108 Main Street, Hill City 📍.
During the low season, the bears are in hibernation, but sometimes Jackie is still available to show them to you. You can even donate a teddy bear to Teddy Bear Town to maintain the world record! Visit the Teddy Bear Tow n Facebook page for more information.
4) An Even Bigger Stuffed Animal Collection?
According to Guinness World Records, on April 27, 2019 a new record was set. Made by Istvánné Arnóczki in Hungary 🌍 in Harsány, the new largest collection of teddy bears (in English) is 20,367 pieces .
Much like Jackie Miley as a child, Arnóczki grew up in poverty and never owned a teddy bear. Her dream was to have one that she could cuddle at night. She bought her very first teddy bear in 1978 , when she was in her twenties, and never stopped buying more!
Her personal collection, made up of objects she bought and received as donations, is kept in the museum 🏛 of her village in Hungary.
Even if you don't necessarily want to compete with one of these gigantic collections of stuffed animals, you can find our teddy bears and all our stuffed animals (like lions 🦁, horses 🐴, rabbits 🐰...) on our online store. line whether to offer one to your girlfriend or your child.
