Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    The Miniature Engineering Craftsmanship Museum

    4.8 (80 reviews)
    Closed Closed

    The Miniature Engineering Craftsmanship Museum Photos

    You might also consider

    More like The Miniature Engineering Craftsmanship Museum

    Recommended Reviews - The Miniature Engineering Craftsmanship Museum

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Margie H.

    Went today and it was amazing and beautiful display areas. Our 11 yr old grandson enjoyed it and my husband loved it especially the steam engine area. Lots to see!

    White house display
    Ce L.

    Love love love the care and craftsmanship of the artisans and collectors that crafted and donated the pieces in this museum! I found this place when my girlfriend and I were planning a day trip down to San Diego. I thought it would be a fun place to check out since we were working on our own little craft build. The staff were so friendly and knowledgeable about all the stuff in the museum and just fun to interact with! This place is just such a special hidden gem in what appeared to be a business complex but great find! Kids and adults would love it here if you are fascinated by the intricate crafts or old doll houses which they had an entire section dedicated to. My favorite thing learned here was the working scale model of their prized car which took the craftsman over a decade to complete which blows my mind the patience and attention to detail it must've taken to complete! Definitely recommend to go check out if you find this review! They accept donations but don't really have a gift shop so bring a $5 if you feel like donating to this awesome museum!

    If ever in Carlsbad with a penchant for tinkering and an afternoon to kill.... The Miniature Engineering Craftsmanship Museum should be absolutely top of your list. Zoom in to these scale models, they are the size of a smallish seagull, yet the detail survives the closest eye. Turned, cast, machined, cut, and all from raw material and all from base stock. I am something of a builder, but I am not even on the same planet as these folks. And the docents are all masters of their crafts, all Wonkas in their own version of a chocolate factory, gleeful and twinkle eyed. And it's free.

    DawnMarie F.

    Wonderfully entertaining, delightful, inspirational, and educational. So man varieties of machinery mechanics, wood work designs to explore. All sorts of planes, trains, and automobiles. Circus, doll houses, and roller coasters, bridges all created in wood. Amazing!!!! A must see and go several times to take it all in.

    Andy C.

    ****REVIEWED DURING COVID**** Came here on my day off and walked in. There was a docent who greeted me and introduced me to everything. After taking a look at his name tag, it seemed like he was the one who ran the place. When I asked him a question about the museum, he cut me off from speaking, and told me that "he'll get to it, so let him finish." The museum is just a bunch of displays. Nothing mind blowing. The museum is small and can be done in about 30 minutes to an hour. One of the best things was that the museum was requiring people coming in to wear their facial coverings, but the people who were inside weren't wear their facial coverings. So why even bother if you can't follow your own rules?

    1932 Dusenberg miniature. 20,000 hours to create this by hand.
    Alan B.

    We absolutely loved this little museum, packed with amazing miniature engineering marvels. It's off the beaten track in an office park venue, but not far from Carlsbad Village, with plenty of free parking available. Don't look for large signs, but yes, there is an amazing gem of a museum located behind the non-descript office building entrance. The first thing you'll notice when you walk in, is how excited the volunteers are to discuss the history of the museum and the highlighted exhibits, such as Louis Chenot's 1/6 scale model 1932 Duesenberg SJ, which claims to be, "the finest automotive model ever made!" It took 20,000 hours to build this model, and over 6000 custom made parts to complete. That's about ten years of labor, at 40 hours a week! Most of the miniatures actually work, from cars to trains, and engines to planes. There are model ships, trucks, cement mixers, wooden toys, doll houses, furniture miniatures and other architectural models. There is a row of engines at the back of the museum that the volunteers turn on, and at 10am and 2pm, there is a Miniature Engine Demonstration. We caught this presentation during our visit, and saw a demonstration of Euler's Disk, a special metal disk used to "illustrate and study the dynamic system of a spinning disk on a flat or curved surface (such as a spinning coin), which has been the subject of a number of scientific papers." The museum is all about craftsmanship and precision. According to their website, Joe Martin was the president and owner of Sherline Products Inc. for over 40 years. The company is one of the few remaining American manufacturers of precision machine tools. Joe was also a model builder and toolmaker. Joe's main reason for establishing the museum and foundation was to make the average person aware of the beauty of great craftsmanship. Craftsmanship level work rises beyond what is needed to complete the job with competence, to a level of perfection that can be recognized by many but achieved by few. Often their work will be building exact scale models of something that interests them, and they do so simply for the love of doing it. Their satisfaction comes from attempting to achieve perfection. Admission is free, though donations are welcome. It's a great place to spend a couple of hours, or more.

    Break glass in case of emergency
    Keith A.

    This is a hidden little gem on the border of Vista/Carlsbad just north of Palomar Airport rd and east of Melrose. Price is free and the staff is super friendly and informative. There are little demonstrations in the machine shop and you are free to walk around. A $10 donation will get you a CD with 450+ pictures. There are miniature to large working models of planes, boats, etc. There are little houses and wooden structures, erector sets, paper airplanes, and all kinds of interesting things to look at. The work involved and the hours that it takes to build some of these things is amazing.

    See all

    16 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jack B.
    23
    15
    16

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Margie H.
    20
    46
    45

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Bert G.
    98
    1030
    1124

    2 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Sam ..
    0
    71
    29

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ce L.
    320
    227
    1661

    3 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of V C.
    0
    12
    3

    10 months ago

    We love visiting this museum! Every single time you end up discovering something new and leaving amazed by that people and their creations!

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ingrid M.
    39
    53
    24

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Ryan M.
    319
    33
    1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Vl D.
    0
    495
    74

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Great gem to visit. The displays are purely pieces of art! People there are super nice and knowledgeable.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Andy C.
    229
    1459
    4039

    5 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 104
    Thanks 0
    Love this 89
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Scott S.
    70
    27
    10

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    9 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0
    Photo of La T.
    0
    11
    0

    2 years ago

    Absolutely worth the time, costa nothing but I donated because this needs to stay open! Something for everyone!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Howard P.
    10
    440
    582

    6 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of James M.
    81
    241
    77

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jose C.
    18
    62
    77

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of L. M.
    0
    74
    32

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - The Miniature Engineering Craftsmanship Museum

    Review Highlights - The Miniature Engineering Craftsmanship Museum

    There was something for all of us to enjoy - model cars, planes, trains, boats, doll houses, antique toys, etc.

    Mentioned in 12 reviews

    Read more highlights

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Museums 857 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Museum of Making Music

    Museum of Making Music

    4.6(190 reviews)
    4.6 mi

    Today, a group of us enjoyed a docent tour at the Museum of Making Music. It was fantastic. Our…read moredocents, Jim and Greg, were so knowledgeable and full of information about the instruments and their history. The museum is a beautiful space and tour made the experience even better. We so appreciate the docents time today and their obvious time in preparing for the tour. I highly recommend a group tour. You need a minimum of ten people and need to request the tour at least two weeks in advance. So worth it! Thank you for an awesome experience. We will be back!

    Such an incredible learning experience coming here to the Museum of Making Music. Free parking with…read moreplenty of space in the lots. Upon entering, you see a piano-shaped desk. The entrance to the museum is on the side, and at first it seems like you're just going to a store. Well, turns out that's the gift shop section and once you finish circling through the museum you end up back where you started! Anyways, we were able to walk in and get tickets up front. We were shown a video on the foundation of the museum and we had a demonstration on how to utilize the tablet kiosks in front of each section. I thought it was very cool to see especially modern instruments and how they looked in the past. It feels really good to appreciate how far instruments have come and how music has really shaped the human experience. I saw many people of all ages come here and enjoy. My favorite part would definitely be the interactive sections where you get to strum or play with some instruments. I definitely wished I knew how to play some chords! Definitely worth a visit at least once.

    Photos
    Museum of Making Music - Exhibits/instruments

    Exhibits/instruments

    Museum of Making Music
    Museum of Making Music - Beatles set

    See all

    Beatles set

    Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum

    Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum

    4.3(68 reviews)
    6.7 mi

    It's a tractor farm!!…read more Recommend bringing cash, this place does take cards but they are solely run by the donations so they really benefit from the cash donations. Support this gem! We've been coming here for a few years and just wonderful seeing every year gets better and better. It's been slowly coming back to life and really is just every little kid dreams come true. Today's Father's day so it's a special event and great for more affordable family gatherings. You just can't beat it. Bathrooms clean, and there was food. But we brought our own snacks and food. Definitely recommend bringing snacks and water. Wear hats, or umbrellas and shoes, gets dusty! Tractor rides and demonstrations, and you can drive a tractor! Our kiddos 2 and 4 got to drive a tractor! Come visit this place, you can see what they have and learn about the farming life, history and the old days how they did it. You can go on many of the tractors just to play on and run around. The black Smith shop is really nice up close encounter to see the blacksmithing at work and can purchase goodies if and when they are available made in shop. They also do repairs as well! The working sawmill is definitely a treat to see! The spindle museum is very interesting and amazing work done at hand. The train station is underway going through remodeling projects. However, it is still really awesome set up, and the volunteers are extremely nice. The watches and clocks is really pretty to see and the history fun. There's an entire property just to walk around and appreciate all the cool construction vehicles, tractors equipment. Just can't beat it. Great way to get outside, walk around and see your kids just beaming with excitement. Sometimes they have the petting zoo and horse rides. We didn't get that far this time with all the added stuff this year. But definitely fun thing to do. We come here about 4 times a year, Father's day and then more in the fall time with the Halloween and Christmas. It can get toasty so take that in account. Come in the mornings and spend a couple of hours. There's even more! So come see for yourself for the next event which is on the website...or even just in a week day to hang out burn some energy. Special events are definitely worth it especially for a lower crowded area and more connections with the folks that run this place. Great family outing!

    Came today to see their Tractor Show with my son. He is 1.5 years old and obsessed with tractors. A…read morelot of old machinery outdoors. A bit of a steep price of $10 to get in. We went to the farmhouse and saw cookies being offered but I seemed to have offended these ladies when I asked if any of their items had peanuts because of my son having a peanut allergy. It was a simple question but they were so mean about it. Not too sure if I'll come visit again. It was quite a drive and the volunteers at the farmhouse definitely rubbed me the wrong way about my food allergy question.

    Photos
    Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum
    Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum
    Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum

    See all

    Oceanside Museum of Art

    Oceanside Museum of Art

    4.5(73 reviews)
    9.3 mi

    Great place to see contemporary and up and coming artist's artwork. You can spend hours casually…read moresoaking in creative works. Parking is conveniently located near. There are a nice amount of restaurants in walking distance. I enjoyed the thr art scavenger hunt with my family. My daughter was totally engaged, so we viewed every installation.

    The Oceanside Museum of Art (OMA) is all about bringing people together to explore the art and…read morestories of Southern California artists. OMA has everything this art lover is looking for and more. Their staff are super friendly and helpful contributing to the welcoming atmosphere of my museum experience. The exhibitions are always intriguing...current ones like The Art of Autism, Fabulous Fiber, Space Between, Stories that Connect Us, and Ventana Huichola are captivating. I love "The Touch This" experience. It's a fantastic opportunity to touch the art! My inner child enjoys this connection. The educational workshops for all ages are usually hands-on and engaging. There's FREE Art For All on the 1st Sundays from 12pm-2pm to join the fun art-making experience led by artists and cultural partners from the community. If you want to conversate with local artists, there's a FREE Coffee & Conversation also happening at the same time and of course other events with artists/educators to register for. All in all, OMA is by far the BEST museum I've been to. It definitely stimulates my mind and senses. Highly recommended!

    Photos
    Oceanside Museum of Art
    Oceanside Museum of Art
    Oceanside Museum of Art

    See all

    Beyond Van Gogh

    Beyond Van Gogh

    2.9(66 reviews)
    11.1 mi

    My rating is for the combined experience- Beyond Van Gogh/ Beyond Monet at the TD Convention Center…read morein Greenville SC. As an artist, I was on the fence about these experiences. I was concerned about the hype and commercialism. Turns out that my concerns were valid. My advice...read the reviews before you go. My husband was interested so we bought the combined experience. The ticket price is ridiculous for essentially a one hour light show. The staff is friendly and provide instructions upon arrival. We arrived early and used the time to visit the gift shop. There were some good items, but they were mostly focused on Van Gogh. I was disappointed there was not more Monet merchandise. There is an "education area" before you go into the experience. Aside from reading the walls, there isn't much in the way of education. I thought the display was creative with the use of color and light and large sheer banners hanging from the ceiling. A few minutes before the show starts, you line up with a lot of other people. They tell you to walk around for the best experience. Unfortunately, the space is too small with people packed in so there is no way to walk around. Basically you are stuck in one place the entire time unless you want to push your way to a different spot. Floors are concrete, so standing for a while is uncomfortable. There were no seats other than a few benches scattered around. They should have been reserved as handicap. The Van Gogh experience is first and very slow to get started. There is no narration. Occasionally quotes appear in both French and English. Depending on the way you are facing, you may not see one or the other. There were some parts I really enjoyed, the flowers and starry night parts in particular. The Van Gogh part is about 30 minutes. We bought the combined tickets so we thought the Monet part would start immediately after. We were wrong! They replay the Van Gogh part and start Monet about 15 minutes in. I was extremely disappointed in the Monet experience and could have been so much better. We actually left after 10 minutes. There are so many missed opportunities for this experience. My recommendation would be to increase the size significantly so that people can walk as the show progresses. Being confined to a small space with a bunch of strangers is not fun. I think this experience would be okay for younger people or others who are not art enthusiasts. If you are really curious, go see the Van Gogh part. That's more than enough.

    We went to see the show again and we loved it!!! Highly recommend everyone who loves art to enjoy…read morethis wonderful show.

    Photos
    Beyond Van Gogh - Art surrounds you in the main exhibit areas

    Art surrounds you in the main exhibit areas

    Beyond Van Gogh - Entrance to education area

    Entrance to education area

    Beyond Van Gogh

    See all

    Mission San Luis Rey - Church built in 1811

    Mission San Luis Rey

    4.4(144 reviews)
    8.4 mi

    A fantastic slice of early California history with a beautiful church built in 1811, fascinating…read morecemetary, a 200+ year old pepper tree, coffee shop, excellent gift shop, museum, and tours of the buildings and grounds. There is even a priest who sits outside to bless you and any items you purchased in the gift shop -- a nice touch! Notwithstanding Father Junípero Serra's apparent and controversial role in the cultural and physical destruction of Indigenous peoples, the place is a great peek into the past from religious, cultural, and archtectural perpectives.

    My goal is to visit all of the missions in California. As an elementary school teacher, I find it…read moreto be fascinating to explore the locations that I teach about during the school year. It helps to personalize all that is taught in classrooms across California. Mission San Luis Rey is one of the prettiest missions that I've visited so far. The parking lot is large, and it also has an overflow to accommodate larger crowds during special events. There is a large, white church that is in the center of the parking lot. Due to its size and proximity, it immediately grabs your attention. Many people begin exploring at the church, but there's much more to see. If you walk to the far left side of the property, you'll see the actual entrance. There is small gift shop as well as a counter where you'll pay your entry fee to explore the museum. One thing that I liked about Mission San Luis Rey is that replicas of various artifacts looked pretty authentic. Also, the backstory for each item was described in detail. The mission was incredibly clean, demonstrating how much pride people take in the presentation of the property. There is a small cemetery adjacent to the church. You can walk around and pay your respects to people who had either a physical or emotional impact on the mission and the community. The grounds are well-maintained and it remains inviting to people who want to explore around. The church is large and inviting. You can purchase candles and place them near the entrance as well as the room off to the side or another room closer to the front of the church. The displays are beautiful and well-lit to draw your attention to details. People maintain a low tone in the church to allow guests to pray, have a moment to themselves, or to make a connection with a higher power. Before you leave, make sure that you stop by the small coffee shop. It's located near the bathrooms near the south side of the property. There is a little gated patio area where you can hang out with friends, family, or even your dog! Mission San Luis Rey is a great place to visit. People are very friendly and quite helpful. When we went to the mission, the weather was perfect and we had a clear view of the area. It was a great experience and I will definitely come back for another visit. I don't know which mission we will visit next, but so far, this is my favorite.

    Photos
    Mission San Luis Rey
    Mission San Luis Rey - Candlelight concert

    Candlelight concert

    Mission San Luis Rey

    See all

    Lux Art Institute - @ofstardustandearth

    Lux Art Institute

    3.9(19 reviews)
    7.3 mi
    $$

    I went for fashion week San Diego. That's where they hosted it this year. The shows were great. Too…read morebad Friday got a bit rained out. Saturday show was amazing but very small space for the show. It would have been great if the stage was a bit more raised. As for the gallery, it's a beautiful and Small gallery that gives you the opportunity to interact with the artist creating the artwork. It's worth walking along the short path which features sculptures among the plants and has a nice little out door venue area between all the art. Great little local place to check out if you have never been

    I am so thrilled that Lux Art Institute exists in Encinitas! I say this, because I had no idea that…read moreit does exist. I've driven by a million times, and for some reason thought it was apartments. Yikes! It most certainly is not. It is a beautiful and well curated space that displays art by the current artist in residence. (I believe they stay two months at a time.) Today was my first visit and I didn't have time to see everything, so I will come back this weekend. What I did see was some extraordinary embroidery work. The people who work at the institute introduced themselves and approached me with inspiring information about the art when they saw me looking at it and heard that it was my first visit. I love this place! I agree with the other reviewer that it feels warm and inclusive and inviting. No attitude here. Can't wait to come back.

    Photos
    Lux Art Institute - Lux has extensive education programs including field trips, outreach education, after-school programs, and summer art camp!

    Lux has extensive education programs including field trips, outreach education, after-school programs, and summer art camp!

    Lux Art Institute - @ofstardustandearth

    @ofstardustandearth

    Lux Art Institute

    See all

    Maritime Museum - Star of India, the world's oldest active sailing ship, a San Diego icon only found at the Maritime Museum of San Diego.

    Maritime Museum

    4.5(363 reviews)
    28.7 miLittle Italy

    The Maritime Museum of San Diego is honestly one of the most impressive history museums I've…read morevisited because the artifacts are the museum. You aren't just looking at history -- you're surrounded by ships that actually survived it. The Star of India, launched in 1863, survived mutiny, violent storms, collisions at sea, and decades carrying immigrants across dangerous oceans. Some sailors believed the ship was cursed after captains died during early voyages, yet somehow she survived long enough to become the oldest active sailing ship in the world. HMS Surprise shows the brutal reality of naval warfare during the Age of Sail. Ships like this once carried enough cannon firepower to destroy enemy vessels while sailors lived packed below deck surrounded by gunpowder, disease, and fear of battle. The Berkeley steam ferry even helped evacuate survivors during the 1906 San Francisco earthquake while much of the city burned. One of the most fascinating exhibits is the Soviet B-39 submarine from the Cold War. The inside is unbelievably cramped and gives you a real sense of what life was like beneath the ocean during one of the most dangerous periods in modern history. The USS Dolphin may have been my favorite. This experimental deep-diving U.S. Navy submarine helped test advanced underwater technology and launched the deepest-fired torpedo in naval history. The museum also includes the San Salvador, recreating the ship that explored California's coastline in 1542 -- long before America existed as a country. What makes this place incredible is the timeline it creates: 1500s exploration... 1800s global sailing... steam-powered industry... world wars... Cold War submarines... All sitting together in one harbor. This place doesn't just teach maritime history -- it shows how ships shaped exploration, immigration, trade, warfare, and entire empires.

    What an absolute gem. The Maritime Museum is a collection of floating ships available to tour…read more We enjoyed the add-on ($10) 45 minute, docent-led, bay tour on the Pilot. We learned so much. The Museum is well-organized with plenty of memorabilia and artifacts to enjoy. There are several boats to explore. There's also plenty of seating along the boats, to just enjoy the scenery. The Maritime Museum is a must!

    Photos
    Maritime Museum - Onboard the schooner 'Californian'.

    Onboard the schooner 'Californian'.

    Maritime Museum - Onboard the schooner 'Californian'.

    Onboard the schooner 'Californian'.

    Maritime Museum - Galley

    See all

    Galley

    The Miniature Engineering Craftsmanship Museum - museums - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...