Escapees January-February 2023

skp stops

An Unusual Eclectic Folk Art Collection Tinkertown Museum 121 Sandia Crest Rd. Sandia Park, NM 87047, (505) 281-5233, tinkertown.com

GUIDELINES FOR SKP STOPS SUBMISSIONS Material for each issue will be selected based on location and the migration of seasonal travel. Submissions of 300 to 500 words are ideal. Due to limited space, submissions will be edited. High-resolution photos are included on a space-available basis. Include the name of the photographer and anyone in the photo. HELPFUL HINTS Share unique and o ff -the-beaten-path RV travel destinations. Keep submissions brief and include only pertinent information. Include the best season to visit the destination. Include information on RV parking and accessibility. Send submissions to Escapees Magazine, 100 Rainbow Drive, Livingston, TX 77351, or to editor@escapees.com. Sandia Park, NM 87047. Currently, it is open four days a week, Friday through Monday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission is $6 for adults and seniors and $3 for children ages 4–16. Tickets are can be purchased online at tinkertown.com. If you’re in Albuquerque, add the Tinker Town Museum to your itinerary. This museum is a rabbit hole that’s well worth falling into for a couple of hours. Submission and photos by Robert Hague #157288 west. Two of my favorites are the Blacksmiths Shop and the Monarch Hotel. There are also larger carvings or sculptures of Native Americans and circus clowns. The most extensive piece is the circus under the big top. It is easy to develop an appreciation for his talent and dedi cation to building such an extensive collection. Initially, I thought this museum was going to be a bit quirky with everything that’s going on aside from all the carvings. However, everything, including the wooden sailboat that sailed around the world, works and comes together to make a very neat folk art exhibit. The museum is located at 121 Sandia Crest Road,

Some places that we visit as full-time RV ers aren’t necessarily high on our interest scale, but when an attraction piques our curiosity, it’s time to keep an open mind and check things out. T hat’s what happened while exploring Albuquer que and the surrounding area when we came across the Tinkertown Museum. What we found was an eclectic folk art collection like we had never seen. From the walls made of thousands of glass bottles to the artistic metalwork, license plate collection and of course hundreds, if not thousands, of hand carved miniatures,this turned out to be a great place to explore. As you enter the museum, you’ll see a sign that tells you how it all started: “Tinker Town was begun as a hobby in 1962. It was not intended as a public display until your interest helped build “our” museum." Making your way through the museum it’s easy to see that Ross Ward thoroughly enjoyed his hobby. He spent more than 40 years building his collection while also working a full-time job as a painter for carnivals for more than 30 years. According to their website, in 1983 the museum consisted of one room and had 943 visitors. The museum now consists of 22 rooms and welcomes thousands of visitors each year. Ward's carvings are more than individual pieces of folk art. Some are con fi gured as wall hangings, animated and even play music. Others are put together like dioramas portraying scenes of daily life in the old

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ESCAPEES Magazine January/February 2023