Craftsmanship Museum facts for kids
 |
|
| Established | 2006 |
|---|---|
| Location | 3190 Lionshead Avenue Carlsbad, California |
| Type | Technology museum |
| Collections | Hand crafted models and machines |
| Owner | Joe Martin Foundation for Exceptional Craftsmanship |
The Craftsmanship Museum, also known as the Miniature Engineering Craftsmanship Museum, is a special place in Carlsbad, California. It collects and shows off amazing tiny models made from metal and wood. These models are often working versions of real machines! The museum is supported by The Joe Martin Foundation, which also celebrates talented artists who create these detailed miniature items every year.
Contents
What You Can See
The museum has about 500 working miniature engines. It also displays models of airplanes, cars, and many other cool objects. You can see a very detailed 1/6 scale model of a 1932 Duesenberg car. There are also aluminum models of World War II fighter planes that show their inside parts.
The Amazing 1932 Duesenberg Model
One of the most impressive models is a 1/6-scale version of a 1932 SJ Duesenberg. A skilled craftsman named Louse Chenot built this model. It took him about 20,000 hours over 10 years to finish it! The tiny engine actually runs on gasoline. Even the doors work just like a real car, closing with two clicks, and both the outside and inside handles open them.
-
This is the incredible 1932 SJ Duesenberg model.
-
A close-up look at the working engine of the 1932 SJ Duesenberg model.
The Museum's Machine Shop
The museum has its own machine shop. Here, volunteer toolmakers work on miniature projects. They help craftsmen from all over the world. These skilled volunteers also clean, fix, and take care of all the amazing objects that are given or loaned to the museum.
Cool Exhibits to Explore
-
A view inside one of the main exhibit rooms.
-
Another look at the museum's main exhibit area.
-
More of the main exhibit room, showing different displays.
-
An exhibit featuring the work of Birk Petersen.
-
A 1/16-scale model of a P-51 Mustang, built from scratch by Young C. Park around 2006.
-
A detailed close-up of Young C. Park's P-51 Mustang model.
-
A working 1/4-scale 18-cylinder radial engine, created by Harold Beckett around 1995.
-
A model of the famous Wright Flyer.
-
Models of buildings and other structures.
How the Museum Started
The Craftsmanship Museum first began in 1996 as an online museum. Joe Martin, who owns the Sherline Company, created it. In 2006, Joe opened a physical museum at the Sherline factory in Vista, California.
The museum quickly grew too big for the factory space. So, in 2010, Joe decided to create the Joe Martin Foundation. This foundation bought a large 16,000 square foot building in Carlsbad. This new building, just a few miles from the Sherline factory, became the museum's permanent home. Over the years, the museum has added hundreds of working models to its collection. These include all kinds of miniature machines, engines, buildings, cars, and airplanes. They even have unique items like a tiny bolt and matching nut that are only 0.010 inches wide!
