OUR STORY

Escape Reality Museum began as a dream shared by Prince Troncoso, who has always believed that creativity can change lives.

From the time he was a young boy, Prince was fascinated by the tiny, hidden worlds around him. He could spend hours watching ants build their homes completely captivated by their villages, teamwork, and scale. He often wondered what it would feel like to shrink down and live amongst them.

As he grew older, his imagination was sparked by the opening sequence of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. The moment the miniature town appeared on screen, it became his favorite part of every episode. Even though he didn’t yet know the word “miniatures,” he knew that what he was seeing was magical and he wanted to be part of it.

Another spark came from watching Tomas & Friends miniature set. Those little worlds felt alive and full of possibility that he wanted to be a part of but he didn’t know How at that point.

Everything changed one day in high school. While walking through east side New York, he accidentally discovered Jan’s Hobby Shop—a tiny storefront that would shape the rest of his life.

Displayed in the window was a handcrafted model ship with extraordinary detail. It stopped him in his tracks and pulled him in.

Inside, the shop felt like stepping into another universe. Classical music played softly, The air smelled of old paper, wood, and paint. Behind the counter was a kind older woman named Colett, who welcomed him with a warm smile. To the left sat her son Dan, quietly working on another ship model that he was building from scratch.

Prince approached Dan and asked if he could learn how to build something like that. Dan looked up, laughed kindly, and said:

“If you want to learn… just sit and watch.”

That simple invitation changed everything.

For years afterward, Prince visited the shop at least three times a week. It became a sanctuary a place where time stopped, creativity flowed, and the stress of life disappeared while being there. The smell, the music, the shelves stacked high with dusty model boxes all of it became part of his healing. Colett and Dan became more than hobby shop owners; they became his friends. They would ask Prince “Where have you been?” if he didn’t go for a week.

Miniatures became his therapy. His escape. His joy.

And eventually… his purpose.

Prince made a promise to himself: “One day, when I become good enough like Dan, I would share this with others”.

Every miniature tells a story.

And now, we can’t wait for you to be part of ours.