This is an engineering museum and shows the ingenuity, ambition and dedication to an art form building mini models and scale model working replicas. This location was larger than I expected and had fantastic docents to supply introductions, answer questions and provide a warm and friendly atmosphere. Was nice and cool inside on a hot day. My only regret to going here, not going sooner.

This is a hidden gem. Craftsman have taken years to build these projects. The staff is very knowledgeable and a few times a day they will run some of their miniature steam engines. Bring the family. Craig Libuse was our guide he was extremely knowledgeable. Thanks Craig!

FABULOUS CRAFTSMAN MUSEUM.This is a Must see.

Wonderful place to visit whether youre into engineering or not. The miniatures are so well built, the engine demonstration was so interesting and entertaining.....I reccomend visiting.

I appreciate this museum a lot because of its wide selection of examples of incredible craftsmanship. Each model has the persons name and history. I learned many new things and was awed by what dedication can do. Examples of how certain steam engines work and the fact that many miniatures were able to run with a source of fuel was amazing. Our tour guide Mr. J. Lewis was very pleasant and knowledge. Its a gem of Carlsbad as many have put it because its sort of hidden but Googles your friend :)

A great Testament 2 American Craftsman working in many mediums. Outstanding work in casting of metals Plastics outstanding machine shop skills out of the outstanding design skills. I spent three hours at this Museum and never got tired of it. A good place to bring children it has some displays of kinetic motion toys that they should find enjoyable.

I was amazed at how much this Museum had on display. Very friendly and helpful staff. They had a demonstration of several machines with a knowledgeable presenter. Not reallly a kids place since almost every thing was in glass cases. There is a section of elaborate doll houses. Best of all entrance and parking is free. Not very good signs to identify the place from outside, glad my GPS said turn here.

Very cool! Its free. Lots of miniature planes, cars, boats, guns, and metal working machinery. Fool houses too. Staff is very knowledgeable.

What a great find and free! The vast collection is a site to behold. The abilities of the builders is amazing. Well worth the time to explore. If you go please make a donation.

Great place to go. Machine Shop tour worth checking out

Very impressive collection of models and miniatures. Try to catch one of the several daily demonstrations.Docent could have not dumbed down explanations to my wife when showing exhibits. She is an engineer and understands these things and doesnt need analogies to baking. Try to scope your audience before speaking.

A very good musem if you love models, craftmenship, art, or creating stuff with your hands. Its very inspirational and very interesting to see what the human mind is capable of doing. It just makes you want to do it. Each piece in the museum has a story and shows one what we are capable of doing. I will return here again and again. I highly recommend it.

Great little (hehehe) museum. Its amazing the history of each piece and the details that were painstakingly carved into the wood and metal

If you love engineering this place is a must! Great elder Dudes are explaining everything you need to know. Check out what times they do engine demos and schedule accordingly. The entrance is Free but some donation is highly appreciated.

My husband and I stumbled upon this place through an internet search and thought it sounded interesting. We were blown away by these precision models and miniatures. This is a hidden gem! We recommend it highly.

I live out of state but bring & suggest to friends to visit this remarkable museum. What a terrific collection of craftsmanship.

This place has a tremendous collection of amazing miniatures. Hundreds of meticulously built replicas that have incredible attention to detail. The man greeting us was engaging and knowledgeable. What a wonderful experience for kids and adults.

Awesome place! So much passion from so many artists. Something for everyone - miniatures, motors, planes, models, toys... and knowledgeable staff. We ranged from 11 to 21 to 50s and all enjoyed it.

For people who love gadget and miniature model building its a must visit.

Very interesting miniatures. We went to see if they knew anything about a 100 year old antique souvenir from Dublin that belonged to my grandparents. They did find us the source and printed up some information for us.

Amazing place to visit. So many miniature items to see. Ill be back with friends and family!

Wow! Nice little gem of a museum. A LOT of items and the staffing is very friendly. If you want to see something run, just ask them. A lot of things they will show you it running. The demonstration I would say is worth a watch, entertaining at least. There are some neat items in this place. My favorite part is a collection of variety of items all made by one man that is off to the left when you enter. Definitely go!

Lots of miniature engines. Great if you are into engines.

Carlsbad, CA Museum with every imaginable machine design, craftmanship AND Scheduled Demonstrations of assorted engines from primitive to modern.What a show. Needs multiple visits!

Truly amazing and interesting things to see. Very friendly and knowledgeable staff.

Its a great place filled with a great collection of amazing miniatures, including a fascinating machine shop and lots of working engines. The staff is very knowledgeable and really patient with kids. I highly recommend it for anyone who is a hobbyist or needs inspiration to become one.

Amazing exhibits, If you appreciate machining you will appreciate this place! The details and craftmanship are second to none.

Amazing place. The small models are so intricate and the docents do a fantastic job explaining how much effort and work went into the various models. Be sure to ask for demonstrations of the operable pieces like the carousel and some of the engines. Wish I could have spent more time here.

I took my 9 yr old grandson and we were both amazed. A friend has his model firetrucks displayed there.

Awesome place! So many things to look at and learn. Friendly staff eager to help

I didnt know what to expect from this place, Ive never been to anything like this before. It was interesting and I was very surprised how engaged my five-year-old was with all the exhibits. we had about 90 minutes of walking around and looking at various things before she got bored and for her thats very very good. The staff is friendly, knowledgeable, and it seems like theyre really into the whole thing. Its free (theres a donation box) and full of fascinating exhibits and displays. Good family fun.

This is a wonderfully composed museum of miniature crafts, featuring small engines, detailed airplanes and railroad trains, motorboats and vintage erector sets. This small building holds hundreds of painstakingly designed and elaborately built projects from skilled patrons all over the globe. Here you can not only view these incredible pieces of functional artwork, but also watch a live demonstration given by knowledgeable staff several times per day. Free to enter, this beautiful experience is open to all. Donations are excepted at the door. Dont miss this one-of-a-kind museum.

Great museum must stop and check it out has great stuff to see

Absolutely fantastic place to visit, the master machinist was a very knowledgeable man. He gave a great history lesson about the steam engine and diesel engine as well. You have to visit too appreciate it.

Very interesting, very informative, plus its free

This place is not well known. IT SHOULD BE! It is a hidden gem that has demonstrations and artifacts on display that are certain to be fascinating to visitors of either gender and all ages! It is not small, but it is not huge, either, so visitors can spend brief time on the areas that are of particular interest to them or spend most or all of a day there, taking in the NUMEROUS, FASCINATING items on display and the interesting explanations which accompany them. This is an EXCEPTIONAL destination that I’d enthusiastically recommend to all. Bonuses: good parking; not crowded; no admission charge (contributions welcomed, and totally appropriate).

So many interesting things to see!

Great place to take the young and old alike. There is no charge but they do ask for a donation. There are things for the kids to do and they have demonstrations throughout the day. You can spend hours in this place and still not see everything. The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable.

Impressive collection of models and working engineered replicas. Staff is very friendly and knowledgeable. Check times for talks given in their machine shop. A must see if youre interested in precision tooling, models, and engineering.

Fantastic place! We were taken on a tour by one of the staff. There are several miniature working steam engines on the back wall. Gorgeous pieces! Entry is free but a donation to keep this gem going would be a nice gesture.

Fantastic items on display! Extreme craftsmanship in every aspect. A must visit!

It is amazing. Brings back my childhood and is a great teaching tool for kids.

Very interesting and educational.

I was looking for an art museum to visit and I found this in my search. Completely incredible Museum that is free for everyone. So many incredible working models its hard to imagine how many man hours went into creating the displays. If youre interested in miniatures or engineering or boats or planes and this is a place to go.

Excellent little museum and its free. They accept donations.

Awsome!! Good for a cute date.

I will admit that I was pretty skeptical about bringing four kids ranging from 6, 11, 13 and 16 years old, but it worked. The subject matter is definitely more geared towards adults in that they can more easily appreciate the time and patience that goes into each work. But our amiable docent led us through a toy demonstration soon after we arrived, and the wee ones were hooked! What a wonderful little museum hidden away in the industrial park--a great way to spend a rainy or cloudy afternoon.

I will leave the detailed word-smithing to others--however, wholly unexpected, this turned out to be an absolute gem of a museum. I could have easily spent the most of a day there. One has to have some appreciation for technical craftsmanship, modeling, etc. to really love it. I do and it was fabulous--especially 2:00 tour by Dave Bolt, the master machinist. I will certainly be back. Wonderful!

What do machinists do in their spare time? Well, it seems a fair number like to make miniature versions of cars, ships, guns, but mostly all kinds of engines. This museum collects all these amazingly intricate and time consuming projects from families that want their loved ones legacies put on display for all to see. Everything here is labelled with the name of the person who so compassionately and shall I say obsessively produced them. Im glad, for their sake that this place exist, and Im also glad the museum is here so we can all enjoy everything theyve produced.

Very interesting place. Amazing craftsmanship in very small packages. Well worth time & effort to see.

Fun museum to go to on a rainy day. Do not miss the demonstrations! Quality souvenirs are worth picking up too!

Such a wonderful place! And the staff is the best and so knowledgeable. Cannot wait to go back.

If youre fascinated with machines and engineering, this place is pretty darn cool. Most of their artifacts are true miniatures and not models (however, they have some doll houses too, for those who like details in wood). Meaning the artifacts are functional just like their big counterparts. Additionally, these miniatures are made by hobbyist and not by industry. Very impressive. What a nice hidden gem.

Small free museum with incredible collection of miniatures.

Didnt know what to expect, and was surprised at how much I enjoyed this place. Great place to take older kids. Take the time to see the presentation on miniature engines. It is free but they run on donations.

Better than I even hoped! Truly a hidden treasure. Could spend all day.

A definite hidden gem for anyone who appreciates fine metal and wood working, amazing attention to detail, and wonderful docents who can tell you any and everything about the objects and the museum. One of a kind.

Amazing place for anyone who likes engineering or is a gear head. Awesome tiny engines and live demos. If youre a gas head, or model enthusiast you NEED to go here!

Kids had a great time learning about steam engines.

Theres something for everyone at this delightful museum. The artistry is inspirational. The museum is a tribute to craftsmanship of all forms with a focus on miniature versions of trains, airplanes, cars, boats, merry-go-rounds, buildings, houses and anything else you can imagine.The museum includes a working machine shop which has demonstrations every day at 10:00 am, Noon and 2:00 pm.The exhibits themselves are inspirational as is the story of Joe Martin, who set up the foundation that supports the museum.

Very historical engine collection for free flight through control line to RC airplanes. Scale engines of all types. Other very interesting Craftsman works. Doesnt have to be a long visit but I could spend lots more hours there.

Incredible collection of models, most of them working models, of cars, engines, boats, homes, everything you can think of, all scaled down and meticulously designed and hand built. Very educational and a testimony to the craftsmanship of individual men and women in this country.

A MUST SEE...This place is Amazing !Something for the whole fanily to enjoy! Everyone there is really cool!

Awesome little museum of miniature things. Engines, vehicles, other amazing little contraptions, all to scale and most able to run. Demonstrations running a few times a day of steam machines in the back. Had a good time and well worth the 10 dollar (voluntary) donation made on my exit. Will return in near future.

This museum is free and if you are into miniatures and creative vintage displays, this is the place to go!

Wonderful miniatures..and those with engines are working models. Its free. Ample parking. Not only artistic but also an engineering feat. A beautiful intro to young, showing the how the world was before going digital.

The abilities of so many are displayed in the projects at the museum. Easy to spend more than one day if you are interested in the details and have the time to not rush through. Great if you can inspire younger visitors to learn skills that would serve them into the future.

Extremely interesting! And the staff there is very knowledgeable and want to share what they know. Entertaining for lots of different age groups.

Really neat models and craftsmanship.

Very much worth a trip to see some amazing models meticulously crafted.

What an amazing jewel of a museum! The docents have wonderful demonstrations and anecdotes! The items on display were fascinating. We spent several hours ooh-ing and ahh-ing.

Unbelievable minitures.

You have to go a must see a once in a lifetime experience youll love it

Definitely not designed for small children. But it is an amazing engineering museum with motors, miniatures, and scale models. They really embrace modern technology so make sure you have a QR code reader, they provide wifi. Definitely go during the demonstration he really makes it understandable.

Amazing collection, examples of craftsmanship are as creative as they are artistic. Staff is not only friendly but exude the love of the craft in their mannerisms and smiles. Great family visit, includes dollhouse and miniature dioramas of all kinds. And no admission fee!

Very interesting and rather large exhibit of models and tools used to make them. Lots of guides with entertaining stories. Free entry and parking.

The cutting craftsmanship and extraordinary engineering were only trumped by the friendliness and fine quality of the volunteer staff. Will defiantly return to share this delight with Dad.-No entry fee-Street and Lot parking-Photos are highly encouraged

Cant wait to go back !!!! ...Too much to see....can not do it in a few hours......

Neat museum, and very nice staff.

This is a hidden gem. When I was taken to this museum I had no idea what I was about to see, but it is amazing. The entire place is filled with miniature WORKING machines and engines. Truly awe inspiring.

Great place to take olders kids (mine are 6 & 10). The staff/volunteers were super fun and friendly. We had a wonderful time there.

This place is amazing! My son is 3.5 and he LOVED it!!!

If you are into working miniatures, excellent presentation, fine machining, great docents, etc., this is the place for you! Admission is free, though there is a donation box if you feel so moved.

A museum of miniature engineering excellence. I could have spent my entire day just admiring the work displayed. Then it wouldnt have been enough time. I really need to go back there.

Great collection of miniature engines and old models

We loved it!There is a wide range of miniature working engines.The personal is very knowledgeable, they can asnwer any questions you maybjave about a specific piece, or the everyday use in real life.There are also a few miniature pistols, and a miniature merry go round, and other very interesting pieces as miniature ships.You can spend 3 hours and have a great time inside this museum.

Friendly, flirty scientists will take the time to explain to you all the fascinating moving and motionless parts of this unusual and interesting collection of eccentric oddities. A nice place to spend an hour or two.

Very interesting and entertaining. Never heard about it before and would highly recommend a visit!

Fascinating displays and interesting discussion in the shop. A great way to entertain yourself for a couple of hours and it is free!

Prime crafted replica autos,air craft and machine tools. All to scale. Very knowledgeable staff

Wonderful museum. They display wonderful craftmanship and have heaps of info about each item. It even has free entry. Wonderful staff as well.

Wonderful place to just wonder around and explore all the interesting exhibits

Always a marvel. Skill and ingenuity and patience and dedication of the modelmakers is phenomenal.

What a great little gem of a museum. Engineering minds will love it.

A very interesting museum! Lots of cool stuff. Great for older kids and not boring for adults. 10/10 would visit again.

I love this place. It is so cool to see miniature versions of historic Craftsman ship

Educational. Small venue. Great for aspiring engineers. They accept donations for admission.

Very interesting place! Enjoyed the engine presentation. Great staff!

Absoluting amazing museum. It has a rich collection of very well crafted machines and models.What I loved most was that it was alive. I feel I see so many museums which seem to have not been visited in decades. The staff here was very well knowledged and very enthusiastic.

Great place to see