Sandia Park, New Mexico - Tinkertown Museum

We stopped here on our way up the mountain to Sandia Crest. I was in heaven! If you love antiques and collectibles, it's even better. I could have easily spent more time there looking at all of the intricate carvings behind the glass. There are a few buttons that when held down make items move within the scenes. Also, there's a real fortune telling machine, complete with a gypsy lady inside. Bring a few quarters along because there are plenty of gadgets and machines; besides the Fortune Teller, there's a handshake gauge, plus a couple that put out music. "Otto, The One Man Band" is spectacular!

There were walls built out of old glass bottles and cement, old license plates used to cover up uneven places along the wooden walkway, and horseshoes embedded in the concrete. Not to be forgotten is the Theodora R, which is an antique sailboat on display there that actually sailed around the world in 10 years. Fritz Damler donated the boat to the museum, and has written a book about his voyage.

If you're headed to Sandia Crest, plan to leave a couple of hours earlier and stop at Tinkertown on your way! [Angela, 02/01/2007]

Tinkertown is still alive and well, although Ross has passed away. His wife, Carla, and other family members keep the museum going. We are on an 8 week RV trip around the country, and Tinkertown is one memory we will keep smiling about for a long time. Maybe the best three bucks I have ever spent. P.S. Don't miss Otto, the one-man band! [Jeff Glazer, 07/05/2006]

[RA: Tipter Pat also recommends "a coin operated mechanical band that has been kept in good shape and plays wonderfully." ]

What a wonderful place - one of the neatest I've seen in years of blue-highway road-tripping. A crazy conglomeration of animated dioramas, mechanical gypsy fortune-tellers, carnival music, and even a boat out back that was sailed round the world. Well worth a detour - combine with Madrid and the Turquoise Trail for a great day trip from Albuquerque or Santa Fe. [Julian Smith, 06/16/2002]

[RA: April 2008 - Photo from Carol Stickel.]

Tinkertown Museum is a spiritual ensemble of junk, with dynamic moving hand-carved vignettes. See Boot Hill and be amazed!! [Sara Badiali, 09/28/2000]

A fun place in Sandia, New Mexico we saw was Ross Ward's Tinkertown Museum. It's really nice. "Compulsive" was the word here. [John Preble, 09/10/1997]

[RA: "12,000 objects," but "more than 48,000 bottles." Glass-bottle walls. Features a miniature, animated, hand-carved wooden western town and circus. Ross Ward's motto: "I did this while you were watching TV."]