Just a half an hour out of Albuquerque, New Mexico sitting in the foothills of the Sandia Mountains is a magical and imaginative place, utterly unique.
The Tinkertown Museum has evolved over 40 years through the careful hands of one man, Ross Ward.
A teenager’s hobby of woodcarving in 1962 blossomed into a folk art dream – perfectly placed off of Route 66 and the Turquoise Trail.
Admission is under $4 for adults, ‘geezers and geezettes,’ just $1.25 for kids under 18, and free for those under four (2019)… but you’ll want to bring extra quarters make the scenes come alive. Put a quarter down the slot to animate Rusty Wyer and his band, can you believe Ward did this all while you were watching TV?
Intricately assembled penny arcade machines are housed within in a maze of 50,000 glass bottles.
Penetrate the mysteries of ancient rites and rituals, offer another coin to Grandmother Esmeralda who will tell your future.
Watch as god and the devil duke it out in the heavens, and all that happens in the world beneath them.
Quotes that inspire are carved into many corners – as you wander, keep sense of your wonder.
Exploring the 22 rooms within the museum is a carousel for the senses, especially when you get to the circus.
Initially these carvings were on the road frequenting carnivals and county fairs and Ward, a self-taught artist, was a show painter. Learn about Emmett Kelly, the world’s most famous clown who was in the movie The Greatest Show On Earth. Find relics such as Big Louie’s clothes, a man who was 8’4” and 430 lbs, the largest man in the world who traveled with the Ringling Brothers.
Scenes of stationary wood carvings stem from when Ward worked in a general store, the devil is in the details!
Read every little bit, you never know what you might learn – “Nearly ever town in the old west had a Chinatown section, after the 1850’s the Chinese provided the cheap labor for the mines and railroads, and washed all those Levis.”
Odd and interesting collections are worth a hard look, especially the wedding cake toppers.
In the menagerie see if you can spy a wedding in a nutshell, the oldest couple in the collection from 1840, and the smallest bride & groom which are fleas dressed in fine silk. And just because, there is a wooden sailboat that someone traded their house for, and journeyed around the world!
Something to dream about after you go home. The gift shop is stocked with really great items, but if you are on a budget there is a free souvenir outside.
Fun Fact:
If traveling from Albuquerque, be sure to experience some interactive Route 66 kitsch.
Stay on the look out for a sign telling you to drive a certain speed over the rumble strip, and your car will play America the Beautiful!