Tinkertown Museum

10/20/2026

Ross Ward built with what he had, when he had it: rocks, recycled bottles, found objects, weathered wood, concrete and tin. We are looking at how these materials age and, over the next months, will be learning the best way to preserve and protect every piece of this whole magical structure.

10/19/2026

Janet is training for a long trip to Grand Canyon and Utah Parks next summer. She left ABQ three days ago and rode north to Bernalillo and Placitas and up over the Sandias and spent a few evenings camping in the National Forest. She stopped at Tinkertown this afternoon as an unexpected special treat! Ride on, Janet!

10/17/2026

10/17/2026

Thank to East Mountain News for the lovely write up about our recent workshop series!

All photos by Carla Ward SANDIA PARK, N.M. — Amid the glass-bottle walls and hand-carved dioramas of Tinkertown Museum, local sixth graders are trading sma

10/14/2026

With only a couple of weeks left in our 2026 season, there’s only one of Jason Ward’s BBQ Buzzards left in the shop! Following the footsteps of his dad, Ross Ward, Jason is a true artist! On your next visit, see how many of the original Ross Ward Buzzards you can spot!

We will be open Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday through November 2nd. 10am - gate closes at 3:30.

10/14/2026

Really moved by this piece. We lost Ross Ward to Alzheimer’s over two decades ago and are so grateful for the time we spent listening to his stories, working on projects and watching clouds. Some great great advice here for any relationship. 💕

Making a book of my dad’s train photos shifted my gaze away from all that he was losing.

10/12/2026

Continuing with a full site documentation this morning. We’ve been photographing all exhibits and structures and matching the photos with a map of the entire museum. This will help us understand what items need immediate attention and how to best conserve, repair and preserve the work of Ross Ward.

Going behind the scenes in the western town brought us a little closer to some of the 200 wood-carved community members.

10/11/2026

Our discovery of recent leaks in the Circus Room have prompted a photo documentation of the entire property. This informal investigation will give us a rough idea of site conditions as we move forward with more detailed surveys.

As ever, a close inspection of Ross Ward’s creation leaves us in awe of his artistry and imagination.

We are so grateful to all who’ve contributed to our restoration and conservation projects. If you’d like to know more, check out our website or the link in bio. https://donorbox.org/the-builder-s-foundation-fund

10/10/2026

It’s John Prine’s 80th birthday today. Ross Ward was a big fan. Ed is playing a few tunes in the driveway and of course, Rusty Wyer and pals are always rocking.

“Blow up your TV,” Prine sang. “Throw away your paper, go to the country, build you a home.” Ross Ward did just that.

10/09/2026

As we head into the last weekend of Balloon Fiesta, we are so grateful for all the community support and love. Over the last week, we’ve met folks from just down the road and way, way beyond! Minnesota, Iraq, Cuba, Ohio, Alaska, the Dominican Republic… and, and, and. Our wall map is filling with pins and our hearts and minds are filled with stories and connections.

We will be open all weekend at 10am. Gates close at 3:30. See you soon!