For the past 49 years, Iowa artist Patrick Acton has glued over 10 million ordinary wooden matchsticks into 78 incredibly-detailed scale models of life-like sculptures, complex machines, and world-renown architecture. Acton uses the tiny two-inch long sticks to build huge models, like his 9-foot tall model of Disney’s Cinderella Castle, 13-foot long true-to-scale model of the battleship USS Iowa, an 8-foot long model of the Notre Dame cathedral, and a 12-foot long model of the United States Capitol, which are all on display at Matchstick Marvels Tourist Center, 319 2nd Street, Gladbrook, Iowa, along with many other large models. The display has drawn visitors from all over the world.

Ripley’s Entertainment Inc. has puirchased dozens of Acton’s models for placement in their museums across Central and North Americas, Europe, Asia, and Australia.