One of the most incredible roadside attractions you will ever visit. A truly beautiful experience. The chapel is positively gorgeous. This truly made my weekend. If you are ever in the area PLEASE VISIT!!! read more

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If you adore Precious Moments figurines, this is the place for you! Lots of opportunities to see the figurines in different sizes, situations and media. From statues to stained glass to paintings to figurines all with the big heads and tear drop eyes that are what Precious Moments is identified by. Visiting was a reasonable admission fee. The staff were helpful. read more

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Friendly staffs, well informed explanation of the museum and warm welcoming atmosphere in everywhere we went. It's truly touching experience in everything I saw. Sam Butcher who designed and Inspired in building this heart warming place i grew up seeing-in person. Truly epic experience. It's Bible stories coming alive in every detail of his works. Be sure to stop and watch the little clip of Butcher's work in progress. read more

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Wow! If you are a person who loves Precious Moments figurines, you will be filled with amazement when you see this. Also, if you are a person who has always felt a little creeped out by Precious Moments figurines, you probably will also be filled with amazement. Highly recommended this site for anyone who has feelings of any kind about Precious Moments. A little hard to find. Free (donations accepted). There is a gift shop - it was closed for inventory when we went, so that saved us money, I'm sure. The young ladies who were in the chapel to welcome us were so, so nice. It is really something special...something precious, in fact. read more

Precious Moments Chapel - The chapel! No photo can do it justice! - Wedding Chapels Near Me - Carthage, Missouri

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This was a major bucket list item of me and I finally got here! I am not a religious person but this was beautiful and moving. My mom, who passed away in 2018, was a Precious Moments collector so it was really interesting to learn about them. I will say the one disappointing thing was that the museum was closed. I knew this going in however; as I believe it was stated on their website. The staff is nice and extremely knowledgeable. They were all so helpful. This place is completely free which is always nice. I would definitely come back and would recommend. read more

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Free Chapel tour: Carthage MO We recently visited the Precious Moments Chapel and headquarters in Carthage (located in southwestern Missouri), thanks to a tip from fellow Yelper, Alana M. We checked in with the employees inside the gift shop (required). We completed a COVID-19 related questionnaire then we were given a time slot for a free Chapel tour. Give yourself time to head out to the Chapel as it is not immediately right outside the gift shop. It is quite a walking distance. Once you reach the Chapel you will notice the beautiful hand carved wooden doors... go right on inside. There are no pews inside the Chapel. We learned about the artwork of Sam Butcher who created the park and chapel to bring his love of God to the people. The paintings are awe inspiring! We walked around the perimeter of the estate enjoying the gardens and the fountains. I was just glad we made the drive up here, it was a little out of nowhere LoL! We spent so much time here that we ran out of time for a tour at the Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Home & Museum in Mansfield. That was poor planning on my part. ¯\_('~')_/¯ Review #1953 read more

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Good stop for roadtrippers traveling on the 44. We left DFW in the morning and timed it perfectly to enjoy a picnic lunch a the chapel grounds before continuing our drive to Springfield. No one in our group has an actual interest in Precious Moments. My husband had no idea what they were and I just haven't ever been compelled to collect figurines. We still enjoyed our visit to the chapel, mostly because of the garden setting, the shaded picnic area, and the stained glass in the chapel itself. My 9 year old enjoyed perusing the store and my younger ones appreciated the larger than life figurines in the little "European Village" area, which kind of reminded me of the Paris hotel in Vegas. Cobblestone street, little shop fronts. Almost like if you stood there long enough Belle would come strolling down singing "Bonjour!" There was a pretty strong musty smell in the gift shop (think: nursing home), but once you move past that area I didn't smell it so much. Through the tiny village is a beautiful landscaped walkway to the chapel and museum. We walked through the museum quickly but if I didn't have 6 kids with me I would have loved to stop and read more about the history of precious moments. The chapel itself is pretty. Wooden pews, wall to wall murals (even on the ceiling!) and stained glass on the outside. Would I go out of my way to stop here? No. But it's convenient to the 44, has a beautiful outdoor area for picnic lunches, a clean bathroom, and it's free. A perfect, quirky roadtrip stop! read more

We stopped by the Precious Moments Park and Chapel on our baby moon. It a nice indoor park space and gift shop. We also visited the outdoor garden and visited the famous chapel. All of the sites we saw were so beautiful and you could tell that the the gardens and the spaces were all well kept. The indoor "park" area is decorated nicely (Christmas all year round) but also has some cute photo opportunities. We visited pre-kids, but if we visited now with our son, he would love it! Inside the famous chapel, there's so much history, stain glass windows, and even mementos to see and read about. Every inch was worthy of a photo or just reading about. I was surprised at how large the gift shop was. We ended getting a Winnie the Pooh themed Precious Moments figurine for our son's room. If you are vacationing nearby and considering dropping in, its worth a visit and it's free! read more

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ABSOLUTELY PRECIOUS!!! definitely need to see if you're on the road or in the area! Worth it to stop and see the precious moments figures and all of the photo ops!! The ladies here in the gift shop are incredibly sweet and helpful. read more

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This is a wonderful place to get in touch with your inner child and experience peace. Find out the inspirational story of Sam Butcher and the creation of his Precious Moments figurines. read more

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I am not much of a religious person these days, but Precious Moments have a special place in my heart because of someone I love dearly. With that being said, this chapel is heartwarmingly beautiful and well-maintained. The statues, paintings, and stained glass throughout are both impressive and adorable. By the end, I was fighting tears and felt incredibly touched and comforted by the love that went into here. The ladies working were all so incredibly kind, welcoming, and not for a moment did I feel out of place. The entire place felt like a warm hug. It is free to walk around, but please consider making a donation or purchasing from the gift shop when passing through. read more

My Mom and I stopped here on our way home from Arkansas. I collected Precious Moments as a child so it was fun and nostalgic for me. I bought my mom and my daughter a figurine. They are super expensive and you want to buy them all. If they were more affordable or had any specials I would have purchased more. We explored the chapel on our own not wanting to wait for a tour. I plan to take my daughter back for an official tour this week. read more

Been here twice now and my family and I loved it. I have always appreciated how innocent PM was ever since I was a child. I also knew that it is all so religious, which I do not mind at all. It's definitely a place for PM enthusiasts. We started collecting some figurines and appreciate it more knowing the history of it all. The staff is nice and extremely knowledgeable. They were all so helpful. there's plenty of room for kids to run around outside and stretch legs. It is also a super plus that this place is completely free. Yeah, the figurines are expensive in the gift shop but the classic ones are made of porcelain. From what I've been told PM figurines have always been expensive. read more

We absolutely love the message and encouragement displayed at the Precious Moments Chapel and grounds. We have always been fans of Mr. Butcher's art. It's a beautiful facility. . It's a MUST when driving through. We are from Texas and will come back again. read more

Precious Moments Chapel - Precious Moments Chapel - Wedding Chapels Near Me - Carthage, Missouri

My great-niece and I visited on 7/5/21 and enjoyed our visit very much! We timed it right and arrived right as they opened up. There were 4 families including us. On our way back towards the gift shop it got busier. Happy to see that. I was able to find a gift for another niece (in-law) whose parents passed in a motorcycle accident on the 4th. It was really comforting to visit the chapel and learn about the angels. We will definitely visit again and maybe purchase some food from the restaurant and have a picnic in the beautiful park adjacent. read more

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This is a great place to visit. All ages will enjoy. I brought a group of 65 kids and adults for a scout adventure and everyone enjoyed it. read more

I alway like Precious Moments figurines. What I didn't know was instead of a big team of designers in a big corporate office, it was just a guy with his warm heart and big talents! What a sweet man he is. read more

Precious Moments Chapel - Wedding Chapels Near Me - Carthage, Missouri

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First of all - still amazed this place is FREE. So many opportunities these days to monetize this type of place and it's still open to the public at no cost. We visited the Precious Moments Park during the Christmas Lighting event - it was a beautiful evening, our only problem was the chapel was entirely cut-off due to a press event that was pass-only. There was very little info available about this online and we were unable to see the inside of the chapel unless we wanted to wait for the hundreds of people inside to leave. Other than the logistical issues, this place is super fun, especially if you are a PM fan. I am not, but still had a blast. Their store is amazing, and they even had a Christmas sale going on where we were able to find figurines and other fun gifts for $10 and under (comparable to ~$50 normally). Definitely worth a stop if you are on your way through. read more

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A very wonderful and peaceful place in Carthage, Mo. It is a perfect place to go for prayer and reflection whether you are going through a hard time or not. Absolutely beautiful landscaping and a good place for a stroll by yourself or with your family. I also enjoy the Chapel with the wonderful paintings and glass panes! If you haven't been before, I would urge you to go on a guided tour of the facility to get acquainted. It is a must see! read more

Let me start with some respectful comments. The people working at Precious Moments (PM) were friendly, welcoming, and clearly super fans of the PM brand. The owner/designer of PM seems to have his heart in the right place. He seems like a good family man who devoted his life to PM. With these things considered... If you're scared of Children of the Corn or childlike figurines/paintings/mechanical dolls, this is not the place for you. As you walk in to the first building, you enter an "It's A Small World" type hallway. In said hallway, mechanical child-bots are hammering roofs, playing a fiddle, and eerily staring out of windows of a "village." Visiting on a cold winter day around opening time probably added to the overall horror story vibe of my visit. On the walk to the chapel, statues angel children line the walkway. I honestly felt a little scared to turn around and discover a statue in a different pose (think topiaries in "The Shining"). Before you enter the chapel, you find a literal tombstone by the entrance marking the future burial place of the still alive owner of PM. Inside the chapel, you enter a giant room with floor to ceiling paintings of children. Wide, large, dead eyes stare at you, following you, judging you. Some are depicted as crying, while others smile (although the smile never reaches the giant eyes). Heaven is apparently inhabited almost exclusively by white dead eyed children and maybe a token minority. "Will you be ready when Jesus comes?" is painted on a wall. Yikes. I would not want to encounter these paintings at night. In fact, I can't think of a more terrifying place to be locked in for a night. Overall, I left amused and creeped out. Regardless, I would highly recommend this experience for the overall amusement factor (although don't look too long into the eyes of the children or you may leave without your soul). Please note, I don't mean offense to anyone! Obviously, everyone will have a unique experience and interpretation. read more

Precious Moments Chapel - Wedding Chapels Near Me - Carthage, Missouri

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We stopped here very early in the morning, due to the route and time we had to travel that day. The actual chapel wasn't even open yet, but we got to wander the grounds a bit and take some photos. Everything is very neatly kept -- fountains, sculptures, lawns. One of the people mowing the lawn even stopped to say hello. Precious Moments figurines are a bit creepy to me, but we took some photos by the fountain, and with the animal sculptures that are off to the side, which included a giant seahorse, a bullfrog, and a turtle with giant staring eyes. It's a little bit like "It's a Small World." You might love it as a kid, but as an adult you take a second look, and it's all a bit too weird. read more

Precious Moments Chapel - Hoops wonders, "Why are we here?" - Wedding Chapels Near Me - Carthage, Missouri

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If you like this sort of thing? I think you will like it very much. This is said after watching and hearing what others were saying walking in. Us? We are not 'Precious Moments' fans but simply had to stop into this very Americana place. (Okay, my husband HAD to.) We also stopped at the biggest cross in the United States, too....you never know where you will find us next. I stayed with the dog at the park part of it with the picnic stuff, giant theme park, plastic figurines that are scary big. My husband went in with all the people in overalls and holding hands who were saying they "prayed the whole way to get there safe". Little kids would get a kick out of this HUGE place. I was ready to send the dogs in after my husband he was gone so long (it was so huge he just kept walking?). They have a big 'Precious Moments' 'airstream trailer' and other stuff to play on outside....for picnicking. And it is just a huge place to wander, walk around. It was pretty hard to find....it seemed like we just kept going and going. The signs were not clear at all, so just keep trying if you are not finding it. The place was immaculate, but some things should not be mixed with Christ.......and Precious Moments figurines is one of them. read more

Precious Moments Chapel - Precious Moments picnic area - Wedding Chapels Near Me - Carthage, Missouri

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THIS PLACE IS AWESOME!! My wife has collected precious moment her entire life and loved coming here. In fact this is the 2nd time we have been here in the last 5 years. I'm sure we'll be back many more times in the years to come. It is obvious walking through to see how talented and considerate Sam Butcher was and still is. You just have to go see it for yourself because I cannot give it enough justice. The tour is very informative and well worth the time. We have both times enjoyed buying a couple of the "grab bags" which were only $30 each but contains at least $80 worth of product. The employees are super nice as well. Will definitely be back. read more

This is a strange place, but interesting. I am not a huge Precious Moments fan, but where else am I going to see a chapel completely decked out with Precious Moments paintings? Nowhere. And that is why we stopped. It is one of a kind. Obviously, if you love Precious Moments, you will love this place---especially because the gift shop is huge. The story behind the creation of this place is interesting, and the tour guide was very helpful and knowledgeable bringing us up to speed (We arrived after the last tour concluded). The paintings are well done and interesting to look at. The gardens are nice and relaxing. All and all, a nice place to get out and stretch and see something you will not find elsewhere. read more

Driving back from Oklahoma, I saw the sign for this and told my guy we needed to go check it out. Punched it into the GPS and oopsie since it was a bit off the beaten path of where we were heading, but well worth it. Yes, you do drive quite a bit thinking are you going the right directions, but you'll get there. Once I was there, I was like a little kid again. I was so excited and taking pictures and ooohhhinng and aaahhhhhing over every little cute Precious Moment thing I saw. We walked around and it is big. We just did a quick walk since we were trying not to use up too much time from our driving. This place is great for anyone, couples, families or just by yourself if you want to walk and take in all of this. Would highly recommend people to check this place out. read more

Precious Moments Chapel - Welcome Sign - Wedding Chapels Near Me - Carthage, Missouri

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My sister and I are coming down October 18 I did check your website you have a beautiful website I can hardly wait to come through the chapel and visit the grounds everything looks so pristine, it just looks beautiful I can hardly wait and enjoy myself read more

Precious Moments Chapel - Wedding Chapels Near Me - Carthage, Missouri

I'm on a road trip and stopped here today after seeing the sign on the 44. I was expecting there to just be a precious moments gift shop but it was so much more-an absolutely beautiful chapel and grounds. Admission is free!!!!!! The grounds are beautifully maintained and the sculptures are lovely. The people working here are extremely kind and informative-I was not aware of the artist's tragic losses of his sons that inspired a lot of the art but one of the kind guides explained Mr. Butcher's life story to us. I really took these figurines for granted but now have even greater appreciation for them. Anywho, it honestly is such a peaceful place and I think it's worth a stop if you're going through the area whether or not you like precious moments-it's a great place to get some fresh air, stretch your legs, and feel at peace. read more

Precious Moments Chapel - Angel by a pond - Wedding Chapels Near Me - Carthage, Missouri

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Ok, you have to go. It will completely freak you out and is a must see. The incredible thing is it IS NOT a spoof...it is totally serious. read more

Precious Moments Chapel - Wedding Chapels Near Me - Carthage, Missouri

This is an amazing beautiful chapel with so many of my favorite precious moments figurines. All the pictures are all so beautiful and worth seeing. All the fihurines are so amazingly beautiful and the arrangements of these figurines are so beautiful. Must see for anyone who loves these pieces and daily News Paper picture and quote. ***** Disclaimer my Wife made me write this. read more

If you are a lover of all things Precious Moments then this is a stop for you! I recently took some of my Amish friends here (young & old) and they loved it. They were expecting to spend an hour or so but 2.5 hours later we all were hungry. They didn't have the museum opened yet so I'm sure more hours of enjoyment & spiritual beauty could have been had. It is off the beaten path but worth the stop! read more

WOW!!! You know how precious moments are expensive? Well this is where the money is going. This place is huge!! The gardens are beautiful. The chapel is gorgeous. It is very religious which can make for some awkwardness. It is also amazing to see how big the property is, and how many employees they have for such a small town. Great local business. The gift shop is the upa-center of all precious moments. read more

The Noise Boyz made a pit stop at Precious Moments while on our way to a performance at The Foundry in Joplin, Missouri. If you've never been to the Precious Moments Chapel in Carthage, Missouri, you're missing out on one of the most bizarre and terrifying experiences of your life. It's a real-life Village of the Damned. And it's glorious. Precious Moments is inhabited by a disturbing number of motorized humanoids roughly the size of lawn gnomes performing various acts of labor. Invariably they're all blond-headed, blue-eyed and white, which seems to be a thinly veiled commentary on what constitutes Christian purity. We are in the Bible Belt after all. From what we understand, these creatures are supposed to represent God's children, but with their dead eyes and featureless faces, the term "children" is a stretch - we can't say that they resemble anything even remotely human. One of those little bastards was holding a chainsaw, and we swear another perched up high in the chapel was holding a sniper rifle. read more

Creeeeepyyyy..... Nah, really. All those giant staring eyes. The religious fervor. It creeped me out as a kid and just sort of amuses me now. read more

My family just loved Precious Moments Park. I have always been a fan of the statues and when I moved here that the first thing I wanted to do is go and visit. I posted pictures on FB for my family and friends to see it and they all loved them. read more

I was told this was a 'must see'. For me it was just ok. There is no cost only a donation request. It seems that the outside statues need some some maintenance but the chapel is very well maintained and very photogenic. read more

if you are a precious moments fan, this is your heaven. the creator of precious moments, samuel j. butcher, still resides in this park. you can find beautiful paintings and figurines, statues and fountains throughout this park. the chapel is entirely handpainted by samuel butcher and resembles the sistine chapel...but the art subjects are precious moments characters. many people book this location to be their wedding site. it is not only cute and romantic, it is definitely a destination wedding and something your guests will remember for a lifetime. the park is peaceful and full of park benches to relax. it even has its own restaurant that serves a decent buffet. and the gift shop is unparalleled of course as it is the mothership of all precious moments. you can find any version or model ever made here. be prepared to walk...just like any other theme park. too bad they don't have any rides though. but if you're ever in the area, this is an excellent way to spend the day. read more

Precious Moments Chapel - Precious Moments Park - Wedding Chapels Near Me - Carthage, Missouri

The tour is amazing. You've got to do it at least once. We didn't do it this trip, but we've done it before and it's breathtaking. The gift shop is great. There's something for everyone! There's so much to see and take photos of. If you don't stop in at least once, you're missing out. read more

I'm very surprised by all the reviews here since I toured the Chapel and thought it was a very moving place. We didn't see any of the other buildings since they were all closed by the time we left the Chapel, but we did walk the grounds and they were beautiful as well. I appreciated all of the hand painted murals and stained glass in the Chapel and the time and thought that went into creating this beautiful place. One of the murals shows children on their journey to heaven and there is a room behind the Chapel that has the real pictures of these children and how the artist incorporated them into the mural. I work with children, so maybe this was a little more emotional for me than others, but my husband even enjoyed the Chapel. It was very neat to see the playhouse that he built for his grandchildren behind the Chapel. It is on an island and they are the only ones who can get there. I left the Chapel realizing that this man is even more talented than just making his figurines. There was a PM meeting going on that day and tons of people were there, so I'm thinking that I'm not the only one who appreciates the work of Mr. Butcher. read more

How does one review something that one really and truly just doesn't understand. As a kid I had a couple Precious Moments books and as I got older, I didn't really give it much thought. At all. I'm pretty sure this is the case for most people. But here in beautiful Missouri, you have a place that is dedicated entirely to Precious Moments. A chapel, a gift shop, a cafeteria outfitted with paintings and animatronics with children's choirs singing hymns piped in through the sound system. Overall, I found it pretty strange and a bit disturbing. The gardens and paths are beautiful. Very lush and clearly well maintained. But the big headed, mostly nude angel babies everywhere and the doe-eyed children vaguely representing bible stories.. It's just so weird. I'm giving it a 4 stars because it's doing a good job for what it is. If you're stopping here, clearly you like this kind of thing or you're strangely interested and are diving cross country alone and incredibly bored (me). read more

This review is about the Customer Service Dept. & the supervisor Jessica @the precious moments company. I ordered a customizable figurine #219013 back in Oct.2021. I ordered the boy & girl to have Brunette hair & for the skintone on both was to be medium. It took a few months to receive, but they sent a Dark skintone on both boy & girl instead of the medium that I ordered. I have called them several times and spoke to customer service and left several messages on the supervisor Jessica's voice mail. She never answered my messages and customer service will not help. They do not seem to care that I received the wrong color skin tone. This is very poor business. I have been a Precious Moments Club member since 1989. I thought they had more class than that, but I guess I was wrong. By the way this piece was to be an anniversary gift for someone, but now I cannot give it to them because the couple on the figurine looks Hispanic, not white. The Precious Moments customer service will not exchange this item for the correct medium skin tone that I ordered or refund my $100, even though they sent the wrong color. Very poor business. I have many figurines etc. and have not had any problems until now. read more