Tiny Doors on the Northern Beaches

I have seen little signs for Tiny Doors on the Northern Beaches for ages now. I had read a few posters but still had no idea what on earth it was. Until this past weekend when a librarian at Dee Why library took some time to explain it to us.

We were handed a map, a passport and two activity books and off we set. One of the tiny doors on the Northern Beaches is actually at the Dee Why Library so we found our first one right away.

From that point on, our kids were onto the game and so was I. I love things like this. Free activities that get the kids engaged and suddenly they’re not as bored as they were 5 minutes prior.

The downside to this activity is that you need to be mobile – walking or driving or public transport mobile. You can’t just stay in the one place. But, Tiny Doors is operating in a few suburbs so you don’t have to go out of the area once you decide where you want to do it.

#tinydoorsnb

In this post I’m going to give you a brief explanation of what it is, where they are and an outline of how to do it.

I’m also going to pop in a picture of the first door we found so that you know what it is you’re looking for.

I love this!!

I have seen little signs for Tiny Doors on the Northern Beaches for ages now. I had read a few posters but still had no idea what on earth it was. Until this past weekend when a librarian at Dee Why library took some time to explain it to us.

Tiny Doors on the Northern Beaches

What is Tiny Doors on the Northern Beaches?

Hidden around the Northern Beaches is a series of Tiny Doors. Really little doors hidden in public buildings. Each door representing a book or a series of a book, specifically a “portal” or gateway in a book.

While there are 32 mini doors they are divided into 6 areas. Each area is a separate little trail with 4 to 6 doors within that area.

Inspired by a similar series in Atlanta, USA the Northern Beaches library applied for a grant to bring tiny doors to the beaches. The library wanted to use this project to inspire and involve youngsters. So after they got the grant they got together groups of youngsters paired with artists and started the project.

The blurb on the website says it is an art project:

involving 88 young participants between the ages 12-to-24, working with professional artists, digital producers and marketing officers.

32 unique miniature public art instillation were developed and hidden in plain sight.

I’ve included a short bit at the bottom of this post about how the doors were made because it’s really a lovely backstory.

There are little doors hidden all around the Northern Beaches. Pick up a passport and start searching. 
Image courtesy of the Tiny Doors Northern Beaches website.
There are little doors hidden all around the Northern Beaches. Pick up a passport and start searching.
Image courtesy of the Tiny Doors Northern Beaches website.

Where are the mini doors?

As I said there are 6 different areas, these are:

  • Manly
  • Seaforth
  • Dee Why and Warringah Mall
  • Narrabeen
  • Mona Vale and Avalon
  • French’s Forest and Belrose

And in each of those areas there are different doors. I’m not going to tell you where exactly each door is because you can get that information from the passport.

What type of mini doors are there?

The 32 doors vary from Tolkien’s to Snoopy’s kennel and Tardis in Doctor Who and the Cat in the Hat. Each door or portal has been specifically chosen by the person who made it. Take the Cat in the Hat for example:

Built by: Abbey Melville

“It was my favourite book when I was a toddler and I chose to put Thing 2 inviting you to symbolise that a lot of weird things are taking place in the house.”

Sally's door built by Abbey Melville. The story of the door is just lovely. 
Image courtesy of Tiny Doors Northern Beaches.
Sally’s door built by Abbey Melville. The story of the door is just lovely.
Image courtesy of Tiny Doors Northern Beaches.

Which maps belong to which Tiny Doors on the Northern Beaches?

I’m including a list of which doors are in which area in case you’re not sure which trail you want to follow, for example, if you can’t decide whether to do manly or dee why.

We’ve started the Dee Why one but having looked at the ones in Manly, I think we’re going to have to head off to do that one next.

Dee WhyTardis
Snoopy
104 Storey Tree House
Door of Durin
Gingerbread House
Winnie The Pooh
(Warringah Mall)Sleeping Beauty
Avalon Hobbit Door
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
BFG
Paddington
(Mona Vale)Faraway Tree
NarrabeenPeter Pan
Ghostbusters
Spirited Away
Gypsy Caravan
Through the Looking Glass
BelroseGoosebumps
Alice in Wonderland
(Forrestville)Jurassic Park
Ruby Redford
ManlyCinderella
Rapunzel
Cat in the Hat
The Lorax
Little Mermaid
Charlottes Web
SeaforthLion, The Witch and the Wardobe
Wizard of Oz
Chamber of Secrets
Nightmare before Christmas
Smaug Door
Here's our copy of the Manly map showing you where you can go to find the tiny doors in that area.
The manly passport showing where the doors are and what they are. I really think I’m going to have to take my daughter around the Manly area too.

How to “PLAY”

Step 1:

First you have to visit one of the 6 Northern Beaches library and ask for a Tiny Doors passport.

While you’re at it, also get an activity book, they’re the same size as the passport and are good to entertain kids aged 6+. We got one for each child but they’re a little too complicated for 4 year olds.

Step 2:

While you’re at the library look for the first door.

Ask the librarian to help you work out where it is because they’re little and you won’t really know what you’re looking for until you’ve seen your first one.

Step 3:

Once you’ve seen it take your passport back to the librarian and ask for her to stamp the passport to show that you’ve found that one.

Tiny Doors on the Northern Beaches. We got our passport and found our first door. Step 3: as you can see here is once you've found the door, take your passport and get it stamped.
Tiny Doors on the Northern Beaches. We got our passport and found our first door. Step 3: as you can see here is once you’ve found the door, take your passport and get it stamped.

Step 4:

Look at your passport and work out where the next door is and off you go, repeating Step 2 and 3 but at the new venue.

How the doors were made

Starting in March 2018, it took the team over 540 hours to make these doors. The doors were made with resin, clay shells, fabric, moss, buttons and the process included gluing and painting but also laser cutting and 3D printing.

It’s quiet interesting to see each of the doors when you understand that they were individually chosen, conceptually designed and then hand-made. Take the Alice in Wonderland door for example, it’s got the small and big door and the stop watch coupled with the eat me and drink me.

If you go onto the Tiny Doors Website and click on the photo of the door you found, you can see who made it and what it was made from.

The photo also includes an excerpt from the book that inspired the door. In some instances the young creator has also shared the reason for choosing this particular door.

You can find out more about each of the professional artists and the student artists by visiting the Artists Page on the Tiny Doors Website.

How the Tiny Doors are made - individually chosen, designed and handmade.
How the Tiny Doors are made – individually chosen, designed and handmade.
Image courtesy of the Tiny Doors Website.

Found a damaged door?

If you come across a damaged or vandalised door, please contact David Murray on 9976 1731. Or you can email him at  david.murray@northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au.

In doing so, please provide them with the location and an image of the door if possible. 

Image courtesy of Tiny Doors Northern Beaches.

If you love books like we do, here are our recommended reads: