Tinkertown Museum: Sandia Park, New Mexico Location Confirmed

Tinkertown Museum is indeed located in Sandia Park, New Mexico at 121 Sandia Crest Trail, Sandia Park, NM 87047—on the Turquoise Trail (NM-14) northeast of Albuquerque, en route to Sandia Crest.

What Is Tinkertown?

A singular folk-art environment created by Ross Ward (1940–2002) over four decades. The 22-room museum houses:

• Miniature animated wood-carved figures (hundreds) in dioramas—circus, Western town, fantasy scenes
• Wagon-wheel bottle walls (50,000+ bottles)
• Antique tools, arcade machines, wedding cake toppers, travel souvenirs
• Exterior: "Town" of miniature buildings, boat collection, kinetic sculptures

Visitor Info

• Season: April 1 – November 1 (weather-dependent)
• Hours: Daily 9 AM – 6 PM (last entry 5 PM)
• Admission: $6 adults, $3 children 4–12, free under 4
• Accessibility: Partial (gravel paths, some steps)
• Pets: Leashed welcome outdoors

Ward's motto: "I did all this while you were watching TV." The museum embodies obsessive creativity—one man's lifetime project became a roadside landmark.