Oldest continously operating miniature world

Bekonscot Model Village & Railway is the world’s oldest surviving example of a model world – an outdoor small-scale recreation of buildings and landscapes. First opened to the public in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, UK, on 9 August 1929 by local resident and London accountant Roland Callingham, it was originally conceived as a private family entertainment. Spreading over 0.8 ha (2 acres), six model villages are set in a fictitious English landscape, compete with hundreds of buildings, rivers, racecourse, and 10 miles of miniature railway. ‘Residents’ measure only 10cm tall. The name 'Bekonscot' is based on two places where Callingham had lived – Beaconsfield and Ascot. Over 14 million visitors have come to Bekonscot, including Queen Elizabeth II and her four children. A full-time staff of twelve maintain Bekonscot all year round, with more during the summer season. Since 1978 it has been run by the Church Army and all profits go to charity. It has also inspired several other miniature villages around the world.