After finishing up some beers at a local brewery, we searched up "cool things in the Catskills"...how could we pass up the world's largest kaleidoscope?? My boyfriend and I hopped into our car and head on over. This barn silo turned is part of the Emerson Spa and Resort. The nice part is that if you're not staying at the resort you can see the attraction. To view the exhibit, you need $5 cash. Thankfully the show runs pretty regularly so if you need to run somewhere for cash you can. The viewing room for the kaleidoscope is pretty small. You can either lean against some cushions and stand, or you can lay on the floor. We ended up standing as there was a group of younger kids on the floor already. The gift shop has a lot of cool items in it too so definitely check that out while you're there!! read more

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I was visiting family and my brother and sister in law took us here to visit! And let me tell you what a great time we had. We took a bunch of pictures and the lady we spoke to at the merch area that sold kaleidoscopes was sooooo nice. My brother ended up buying a little mini one. Great for the family and kids. This is part of a resort so people are staying there. Definitely recommend as a little adventure. read more

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It's a must when you are in the area. Had a wonderful experience at this place. Location is so neat. Within the premises of Emerson resort. Fee of $5 is worth the viewing pleasure . It included the best customer service. I have never seen good quality kaleidoscope/s , thanks that it shown to us by the register associate. Extra window shopping inside the premises. read more

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Billed as the world's largest kaleidoscope, the Emerson Kaleidoscope is housed in a converted grain silo that's now part of the Emerson Resort & Spa. It's free to visit for hotel guests and kids under 12, and $5 for everyone else. You are ushered into a small round room and a kaleidoscope show, accompanied by space narration and music, begins to play. I think it's just a video?, so was a bit underwhelming, but pretty trippy if you're on something. The experience lasts about 10 minutes, and could be more comfortable (you can either lean against a cushioned easel and look up, or lie down on the floor). The gift shops are great! Lots of well-curated, unique, small/niche brands, and interesting items and gifts. We enjoyed browsing while waiting for the next show to start (they play it about every 10 minutes, or per demand. It wasn't crowded so barely any wait). The lady at the shop counter who sold the tickets was sweet and told us a bit about the history of the kaleidoscope. It was a fun kitschy roadside attraction for our trip down from the Catskills. I wouldn't go out of my way to see it, but if you're in the area it's worth a visit! read more

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The kaleidoscope show is about 10 minutes long for $5 a head (12 and under are free). I thought it was a real kaleidoscope (and maybe it once was) but it's a narrated experience that features what's clearly a digital projector projecting onto mirrors. It's fun for little kids, so I can't complain too much, but I would not go to it if you don't pass it on the road. read more

I wouldn't go out of my way but if you happen to be nearby, I recommend you stop. We were driving by, I'm happy we did! There's a super cute gift shop to look through with a bunch of cool items. Towards the back is the kaleidoscope gift shop selling the coolest stuff, a ton of different kinds of them. Really awesome actually, I loved checking all of them out. Then there's the worlds biggest kaleidoscope show you pick one of 5 options, we picked starry night. It was pretty cool. I would have seen another if it wasn't $5 a person. There were 4 of us, it's best if you lay on the floor to see. Staff is knowledgeable and friendly, they'll give ya all the history. read more

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I came here with my boyfriend, it was a very cool experience. The images being projected were mesmerizing. It was a $5 admission fee for a 10 min show. The shop had lots of things to look at, and the woman running the shop was very knowledgable. There's also 4 other shops inside to look around, which were very neat. I'd recommend this once in a lifetime experience if you're in the area. Definitely enjoyed it! read more

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A nice experience with hubby while we were in the area. The $5 show, lasted about 10 minutes. The viewing room is very small and the leaning boards are not that comfortable, but again, $5 / 10 minutes. They are very pet friendly...we shared the show with 2 well behaved dogs, which I did not mind at all even when one of them licked my leg during the show! The gift shops are amazing! read more

I found the show so cool! Unfortunately, the set up is a bit uncomfortable: you can stand with a back support and lift your head to the ceiling, sit in a chair (only 2 chairs), or actually lie down on your back to look at the ceiling. Neither is truly comfortable. They should have recliners, like in planetariums. But the short video (10 min) was very impressive ("the trippiest show"). And tons of kaleidoscopes in the store were amazing. Check all pictures and videos. Another negative is the food. Do not even bother, go to a local restaurant instead. read more

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Don't miss the gift shop, it's weirdly huge and full of great stuff! Love the kids section especially.

This is a very, very cool spot. I could waste the entire day investigating all of the different kaleidoscopes on display (and for sale.) And I almost did. I would not recommend paying $5 to watch a film inside the largest kaleidoscope. The movie is 10 minutes of leaning backwards uncomfortably in a strange headrest contraption sort of thing. Then a film is projected onto a screen, seemingly in front of the kaleidoscope itself? No history of the kaleidoscope, no mechanics of how they work exactly, no usage of the actual giant kaleidoscope. This just didn't feel worth the money paid, nor the ten minutes spent. However, the kaleidoscopes at the kaleidobar are incredible. You are encouraged to try all of them and the staff is very knowledgeable and helpful. The items are very expensive, but very worth it to have the chance to play with them for a bit. read more

It was a pretty neat setting but didn't knock out socks off. The shops there were pretty good as well but pretty expensive.

While I was in the Catskills, between the lakes and the mountains, I decided to go catch some air conditioner. And that is how I learned of this place, because it came out on the map. Some people consider it worth of a visit, so I did the same, I visited. But in all honesty, it was a lukewarm experience. Yes, there are some cool aspects to being in the biggest kaleidoscope in the world... but nothing else. Dated, kitschy, obvious, I don't know... let me know what you think actually. read more

Emerson Kaleidoscope - Local Flavor Near Me - Mount Tremper, New York

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Ok, so I totally don't get it. BUT - that said, it is pretty cool. The video is 10 mins long and worth the $5 if there isn't a crowd, but don't expect a life changing event. More unbelievable than spectacular. The complexities of a Kaleidoscope are lost on me as are the outrageous price tags. But hey...when you see a road sign for the World's Largest Kaleidoscope; you have to go. read more

Emerson Kaleidoscope - Local Flavor Near Me - Mount Tremper, New York

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Traveling the country and finding the obscure, I happened upon this place after reading about it on Atlas Obscura. Fascinated by kaliedoscopes I felt this was a must see on my trip. This was worth the stop! Every bit as "cool" as I would hoped it would be. The price is a mere $5 for roughly a 10 minute show...worth it! The gift shop was on par. Interactive 'scopes, toy 'scopes, gorgeous collection of high end 'scopes. The lady running the shop was an excellent guide explaining the different types of 'scopes. read more

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Definitely not worth the $5 entry fee, and that's not even a big fee. Was not a true kaleidoscope. They had a TV screen on the ceiling and played a looped movie that reflected on bad plastic walls. The VoiceOver was terribly cheesy and overall not worth the experience. The gift shop and it's items were cooler than the Kaleidoscope. read more

The "view" of the kaleidoscope is basically a movie they project on to it with a narration. The movie was not very interesting nor did it seem to "go" with the narration. There were abrupt cuts in the movie where the imagery completely changed so it was not at all like looking into a kaleidoscope. It was only $5 (free if you are a guest of the hotel apparently) but I still wouldn't bother spending the money. read more

The kaleidoscope show was underwhelming but I definitely would pay to see it again & support this business. Lots of lovely kaleidoscopes to interact with in the store for free. read more

We have done this at least three times - in fact, if we are in the area we will head in because it is quite unique, and the shops (including an extensive selection of hand made kaleidoscopes form $10 up to $3,500+) are a nice break from all the outdoor stuff. Plus it's $5. It is pretty cool, and the current program offers four (4) separate tracks of music to accompany the show. You can stand or (as we have done) lay down on the floor for the best experience. read more

The kaleidoscope is fantastic. I really loved it. Teresa rules!! There's also a bunch of stores in this plaza that sell things I can't afford but it's worth going just for the kaleidoscope. read more

Skip it. If you're hoping to nerd out about kaleidoscopes, this is really mostly just a weird tourist trap. The "show" itself is a movie that you watch on the kaleidoscope, making it psychadelic but not particularly informative or easy to follow. Narration was strange. I would not recommend driving more than 20 minutes to go here. Recommend going if you fit any of the following descriptions: -Stoned or drunk or otherwise in an "altered state" -Trying to kill 15-20 minutes -Out of other ideas to do because of weather or boredom -Interested in perusing the other shops in the same complex Appropriate for kids. My toddler was fascinated. Your teenagers may judge you. read more

This is definitely something fun and different to do if you are in the Catskills! Go for the show in the largest kaleidoscope in the world and stay for the charm of seeing through unique handmade kaleidoscopes. They also have some larger interactive ones that provide great insta opportunities! read more

Emerson Kaleidoscope - The Kaleidoscope Bar!! The fanciest kaleidoscope I ever did see! - Local Flavor Near Me - Mount Tremper, New York

Home of the world's largest kaleidoscope and if you look carefully, also the world's smallest. If you like kaleidoscopes, this is definitely a place for you. Go for a show, lay on the floor, and fall into the immersive experience of being inside a giant kaleidoscope. It's definitely an enjoyable experience but the real crown jewel of this destination isn't its namesake kaleidoscope but instead the adjacent room teeming with beautiful artist-crafted kaleidoscopes. Total kid in a candy shop moment. I was beaming going from piece to piece, appreciating all the different styles, colors, aesthetics. Teresa was kind enough to walk me around to tell me all about the different artists, materials, and types. She was really helpful and enthusiastic and clearly just happy to be there and talk about the work on display. I will definitely be back some day to check out the new scopes! read more

Nice spot. 1) It is a unique spot in the Catskills. 2) It is worth coming once. 3) The price is a little high for what it is. read more

I really loved this place. I probably liked it a lot more than I should have, but hey to each their own, right? By chance we were their first customers with the their all new digital system. From what the woman told me, it is much brighter and ridiculously sharper than the previous system. I hadn't been before, but I believe her. Everything was crisp and displayed with brilliant color. The sound was great too. We saw 2 shows, both were cool. If you have the ability, lay on the floor. It keeps your neck nice and relaxed. For $5 can you really go wrong? After the show, walk around the complex for some unique finds. read more

The World's Largest Kaleidoscope, sometimes known or otherwise known as the "Kaatskill Kaleidoscope" (Kaatskill original spelling of Catskill) located in Mount Tremper upstate NY (Hudson Valley). The kaleidoscope itself is approximately 60 feet tall and 37.5 feet in diameter created within a grain silo!!! The World's Largest Kaleidoscope was recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records in 1997! This is one of my favorite local gems in the area and worth the day trip in order to experience it! I highly recommend and strongly encourage that you enjoy the kaleidoshow! The kaleidoshow is an amazing work of visual and sound art, there are a few different shows to pick from, each lasting five minutes only. Upon request you are able to sit through all kaleidoshows at the time of your visit. Please be mindful that the kaleidoshows are short, in order to experience it to the best of one's ability stay focused and pay attention to detail... leave the electronics filming if you must but you will most defiantly miss the entire show by trying to film by hand and will be unable to immerse yourself in the psychedelic trippy experience that art designer Issaac Abrams and his son Raphael have created for us to view! read more

It's $5 for sort of a goofy psychedelic kaleidoscope show that's worth the price. The show sort of tracks American history and I guess would be the perfect place to be slightly after 4pm on Independence Day (assuming they're open). Kinda makes you wonder what the second largest kaleidoscope is. Also the shop has a ton of really cool kaleidoscopes that I suppose if you had a bunch of money to burn, you might pick up a fancy one. read more

Amazing!! This should be a must see experience in the area! Absolutely worth the cheap ticket price in my opinion. Anyone of any age would definitely appreciate this. Right down the road from Phoenicia Diner too! read more

My husband and I have a fondness for the off beat attractions, and the Kaleidoscope did not fail to fit this mold. The experience was as cool and yet very different than expected, as the scope itself is much more of a "show" and less of a true gigantic kaleidoscope. Nonetheless, we watched two of three shows offered, impressed by both. The staff are great, the additional shops and options were very cool as well. Worth a stop for me! read more

Drove 25 minutes with my partner and our two kids to see the "world's largest telescope" however the power went out when we were just about to pay. They said the power company had been working on something down the road and that this wasn't the first time this had happened. In addition, we were told they didn't have gas for their generator. We waited about 30 minutes and then gave up as the power never came back. I would definitely expect a place like this to at least have a functioning generator as a back up hence the 1 star. read more

As long as you come here without high expectations I think you'll pleasantly enjoy yourself. This giant Kaleidoscope was one amongst the many things we did around the Phoenicia/Woodstock area, and sprinkled in it fit well. It's $5 for a psychedelic show of patterns and projects images that are pretty fascinating. Ours was paired with a cheesy voiceover that talked about the universe and stars that was entertaining. There's a small cluster of stores within this building that sell odds and ends, and there's even a cafe with coffee and other edible takeaways to check out. Their gift store sells a bunch of different kaleidoscopes and has some fun photo ops with a large kaleidoscope to put your face to and a small light-strung infinity mirror when you exit the show. I would not say it's a place to go out of your way to come to, but it's fun and quirky as an additional stop if you're in the area. read more

Never thought I'd come here because it's in the middle of nowhere, but low and behold a day came where we just wanted to do something so away we went. I was definitely expecting the kaleidoscope to be bigger, however it was something to say you saw. You pay $5 for a 10 minute show of trippy kaleidoscope images. There are these seats you stand up and lean back on, but it's recommend to lay on the floor, so we did. Pretty patriotic with images of presidents, indians, and eagles. The gift shop was something to see. All different types of kaleidoscopes, glass, hand made, and unique. They also had some other antique shops in the building with unique pieces, as well as jewelry. read more

Emerson Kaleidoscope - Local Flavor Near Me - Mount Tremper, New York

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God bless these weird hippies. For 5 bucks, you get to go in a tiny dark room and watch a short trippy kaleidoscope "film." If you go when they're not busy (we went in winter), the lady will let you lie down on the floor for a more thoroughly trippy experience. The gift shop is also pretty cool, and the lady running it is friendly and likes to share the history of the place. They swap out the film periodically. Our film featured a British narrator talking about "the universe" and stuff in pretty generic terms, but it worked somehow. Great music too. All that being said, I wouldn't travel too far out of my way for this. It's mostly a curious little roadside attraction to hit up of you're passing through. Phoenicia Diner is just up the road, so you could combine it with a lunch stop. read more

Kaatskill Kaleidoscope is home of the world's largest kaleidoscope. That sounded exciting to me, so we ventured out there. Ya, it's big, but not exciting. You go in the silo thing and lay on the floor to watch the kaleidescope. It has 37 large mirrors or something. To me, it just looked like I was laying on the floor watching a movie of a kaleidoscope. If you're really into kaleidoscopes, they have a great gift shop full of expensive fancy kaleidoscopes. read more

The Katskill Kaleidoscope is the centerpiece of Catskill Corners, and should definitely be checked out if you're in the area. The giant kaleidoscope is fun and spacy - and actually made me laugh out loud a couple of times at what they were showing me. I joked afterwards that it would be perfect with a Pink Floyd soundtrack. Ok, I was half serious that it would be perfect with a Pink Floyd soundtrack. The Kaleidoscope Museum is FANTASTIC. These things are genuine works of art in a field that you might not have realized WAS an art. Many of them are beautiful and original and work in ways that you never dreamed a kaleidoscope could work. You can buy them too. Yes, some are a thousand dollars (and worth it, if you actually HAVE a thousand dollars to spend on a kaleidoscope, which I don't), but many are more normal ones, sold at normal prices. I bought a kaleidoscope that was built into a baseball. The Catskill Corners has other interesting shops filled with interesting stuff. The walls are an art gallery. There is citrine and quartz and beautiful rocks. A genuine gourmet food coffee shop. You can spend quite a long time in here finding more things to look at. Oh - the people. Lovely people, who were all very helpful and very interesting, with a real passion for what they are doing. Even though we came before they were open, someone saw us at the door and let us in, and they were all wonderful. People like that make a place a like this. If you are in wonderful Shandaken, NY (Phoenicia, Mt. Tremper, Big Indian, whatever) DO check it out. read more

Although i was here a few years ago, places like this don't seem to change that much. Not only cant you find a great big Kaleidoscope inside a silo-shaped building very often, but the mere fact that one of them still stands about a good 1+ 1/2 hours away from my home, is an experience in itself. Although i wasn't too pleased with having to lean my head backwards onto these headrest things the employee told us we should use to view the show(kink in my neck following the show), but also this was Mothers day weekend when you'd expect a few more people would join in. But no one else joined in, and we 6 were all alone in this dark room with the scope above our heads. Personally, if I'm ever in the mountains and need a place to go, id rather go somewhere else. But this place is enjoyable for a first-time visitor. The fact that the price of admission tells you wonders about this place, is more than proof to show you that this place is not too cool for eventual return trips once you've been here before. read more

The "world's largest kaleidoscope" was not a kaleidoscope at all but just an imitation kaleidoscope light show projected on the top of a cylinder 3 or 4 stories high. The themes seemed to be patriotic kitsch and 60's nostalgia. No way I would have made a trip to see this if I had known what it was in fact. I'd give thumbs up to the attached shop, however. It had a number of beautiful kaleidoscopes from a variety of craftsmen. read more

Is it amazing? No. But it's pretty cool and I think kids would get a kick out of it. Maybe not the destination for a cross-county trip, but more of an "if you're in the area" thing. read more