THE WORLD'S LARGEST TEDDY BEAR COLLECTION

Most children have at least one teddy bear, and they often form a special attachment to 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 teddy bear collection.

Many people enjoy collecting sentimental items, but few have done it quite like Jackie Miley who has a house filled with thousands of teddy bears . When it comes to childhood nostalgia, nothing is more wholesome than the teddy bear.

While many of us have kept one or two of these special friends, others have taken their teddy bear and stuffed animal collections to a whole new level, which can be seen up close at Teddy Bear Town in South Dakota.

1) Who has the largest collection of teddy bears in the world?

Jackie Miley, a 68-year-old American woman, set the world record for the world's largest teddy bear collection 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 has a house filled with thousands of teddy bears in South Dakota, USA.

A- From 0 to 3,000 Teddy Bears

After accumulating nearly 3,000 teddy bears, friends began asking her if she had submitted her collection to Guinness World Records for review. After the eighth person asked, she finally did.

In 2005, Jackie submitted a detailed list of her collection of 3,610 bears to the Guinness Book of World Records, and it was official - she had the largest teddy bear collection in the world!

B- Jackie Miley Continues to Grow Her Huge Collection

In order to maintain her growing collection, Miley began visiting stores and thrift shops in her home country. She found the teddy bear characters so interesting that she continued to buy them wherever she traveled.

In her assortment, the smallest teddy bear is only 5 cm, the largest is 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. Her oldest bear dates back to 1905, which makes her 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 are in his Collection?

In 2018, she already owned 8,026 teddy bears purchased during her vacations in other US states as well as 29 other countries, now, in 2020, thanks to teddy bear donations she owns more than 11,000 !

D- Jackie Miley's Favorite Teddy Bear

Of the 8,026 bears in 2018, Jackie says that while she doesn't have a favorite, there is one in particular that has great sentimental value  - because someone bought it for her at her school.

One of the reasons Jackie is keen to keep her collection 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: Teddy Bear Town

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 " world's largest teddy bear collection" and the Guinness Book of World Records.

It has become a tourist spot 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. Visiting the bears is free, as the attraction operates thanks to donations.

You can find every shape, color, size, and origin of teddy bear imaginable there?! Also listed in Ripley's book "Believe It or Not", Teddy Bear Town has already been featured in the Guinness Book of World Records several times and continues to hold the record for the largest teddy bear collection which is estimated at over 11,000 stuffed animals!

B- A Place That Has Become Touristy

Considered a must-see for all ages, Teddy Bear Town is a summer attraction that draws guests from all over the world , many of whom bring their own unique contribution. The enchanting South Dakota store will make you feel like a kid again!

If you visit Teddy Bear Town, you will be amazed at how full it is of bears. They hang from the ceiling, sit on shelves, and even lounge on the floor. Only about 4,000 bears fit in this small house, with the rest being stored on a rotating basis.

C- Why do people from all over the world bring a Teddy Bear to Teddy Bear Town?

Many people from all over the world are contributing to this record by participating, by doing so guests can get their hands on this world record and add even more unique plush toys to the Teddy Bear Town collection!

Thanks to donations from friends near and far, as of 2020 Teddy Bear Town has over 11,000 stuffed animals from every state in the United States 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 through Labor Day, and it's free! It's located at 108 Main Street, Hill City ?.

During the off season, the bears are in hibernation, but Jackie is sometimes still available to show them to you. You can even donate a teddy bear to Teddy Bear Town to help keep the world record alive! Visit Teddy Bear Town's Facebook page for more  information.

4) An Even Bigger Stuffed Animal Collection?

According to the 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, Arnóczki grew up poor and never owned a teddy bear. Her dream was to have one 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, consisting of objects she purchased and received as donations, is kept in the museum ? in 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 whether it's to offer one to your girlfriend or your child.