The MAD Museum
The MAD Museum
4.5
10:30 - 16:30
Monday
10:30 - 16:30
Tuesday
10:30 - 16:30
Wednesday
10:30 - 16:30
Thursday
10:30 - 16:30
Friday
10:30 - 16:30
Saturday
10:00 - 17:30
Sunday
10:00 - 17:30
About
Stratford upon Avon is most famous for being the birthplace of poet and play writer William Shakespeare, but why not try something completely outside of the box and visit the towns newest most exciting attraction- The MAD (Mechanical Art & Design) Museum.As soon as you step into this quirky attraction you'll be greeted with whirling robotics, churning clogs, rolling ball circuits, ingenious design and crazy sounds! The MAD Museum does what it says on the tin, showcasing an absolutely MAD assortment of Kinetic Art, Automata and Steampunk contraptions, gadgets and gismos. Venture into an eccentric world of moving art; The MAD Museum is a wonderful place to watch and interact with an astonishing assortment of both modern and old fashioned, yet highly innovative and elaborate machines! For the young ones: Dancing lasers, rolling ball machines, roaring mechanical dinosaur heads and whirligigs all with lots of buttons to press! The MAD Museum offers an exciting visit with an educational bias, relevant to curriculum modules such as Design & Technology and Science. We give children an experience that is worthwhile, educationally beneficial and also a lot of fun!
Duration: 1-2 hours
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- Alex W35 contributionsIngenious and inspiring!We spent an hour or two here marvelling at the automata - some wooden, some steel, some simple and some complex. Everything was on view and it was fascinating to see the process by which the cranks and joints allowed them to work. The little film show introduced some other brilliant examples and was great fun to watch. Every single exhibit rewarded close attention and we were surprised at how much time we spent there. The staff were friendly, helpful and enthusiastic. I would highly recommend it.Thank you for taking the time to leave a review of your recent visit to the Mad Museum. We're thrilled to hear that you had such a wonderful time exploring the automata on display, and that you found the exhibits to be both fascinating and engaging. We're glad to hear that you enjoyed the little film show, which showcased some additional examples of automata and provides a fun and educational experience for visitors. It's great to hear that you found every exhibit to be worth close attention, and that you were surprised at how much time you spent exploring the museum. Our staff are passionate about the Mad Museum and the automata on display, and we're pleased to hear that you found them to be friendly, helpful, and enthusiastic during your visit. We strive to provide exceptional customer service and create a welcoming and informative environment for all our visitors. Thank you for recommending the Mad Museum to others. We hope to welcome you back for another visit soon!Written 21 March 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited March 2023Written 20 March 2023
- MLRO777London, United Kingdom5 contributionsFun, interesting and recommend for kids!Highly recommend this! We spent just over an hour here as part of a visit to Stratford upon Avon. Our kids are 6 and 4. They both really enjoyed it! It’s a little small inside so I think they’d limit capacity. Really fun and interesting visit.Visited April 2023Travelled with familyWritten 6 April 2023
- Helen T1 contributionGreat trip outMy 10 year old loves coming here. He spends all his time watching the various marble runs there, getting excited at all the various moves, especially the balls going down the windy runs. It says you will be there for approx 45 minutes, we are usually there a good 2 to 3 hours.Visited April 2023Travelled with familyWritten 10 April 2023
- Glass half fullLondon, United Kingdom142 contributionsWheelchair visitWheelchair visit here at Easter. What a hidden gem! This museum is accessed via a good sized wheelchair lift (500kg max). The staff have concession rates. This was the only place in Stratford upon Avon to ask if my son was a student! It’s full of mechanical models with all sorts of fun and irreverent ideas. A haven for small kids and adults alike as each model is operated by a light sensitive switch that you just wave your hand over! Nearly 100% working. They also have a great gift shop selling many different models. It’s also a break from Shakespeare ! Disabled toilet at the back. Highly recommended.Visited April 2023Travelled with familyWritten 12 April 2023
- Christopher J11 contributionsSomething for everyone!Great little museum for all ages. Our 10 month old loved watching all three moving parts and balls and we as 2 adults in our 30s loved it too. A good way to spend an hour or two in Stratford-upon-Avon and a change of pace from all the Shakespeare history.Visited April 2023Travelled with familyWritten 29 April 2023
- Andrew DufresneCulham, United Kingdom72 contributionsDefinitely worth a visitA real gem in Stratford. Not too expensive and we bought a combined ticket with Shakespeare’s school room and guildhall. All the mechanical toys are fun and well crafted. It takes about 45mins to go around but you could easily stay longer building your own cog wheels. There is a film to watch about an amazing instrument played with marbles and a car gravity run. Best part was the cat hands slap!Visited April 2023Travelled with familyWritten 29 April 2023
- LuluT3 contributionsQuirky. Fun. Entertaining for mix of agesWell worth a visit. Entertained both my children (10 and 4) who are usually into very different things! They loved being able to start the mechanical toys (each has a motion sensor to wave your hand past), Great for all ages. There are steps up to the museum but there's also a lift. Nice little shop too with STEM toys etc. Look into buying a combined ticket for entry to the museum as well as the Shakespeare Schoolroom and Guildhall for savings. Would recommend.Visited May 2023Written 30 May 2023
- Emma E1 contributionGreat interactive fun for all.Brilliant interactive place, great fun for all. We didn't really know about this place until we notice the Red telephone box at the other end of the street which caught our eye and intrigued us to go inside the museum. Honestly won't be disappointed.Visited May 2023Travelled with familyWritten 31 May 2023
- Stef MCoventry, United Kingdom2 contributionsInteractive MuseumGreat visit on a Sunday afternoon with my 3yo and 5yo girls. They loved how interactive the museum was - having lots of buttons to press to make things move was like heaven for them! And they were mesmerised by the section where you can build your own marble run - they spent ages on it! Would absolutely recommend a visit.Visited May 2023Travelled with familyWritten 6 June 2023
- Jenni M4 contributionsWhat a Wonderful Find!On our way to Shakespeare's birthplace, we discovered this little gem! It was absolutely fantastic! We enjoyed the creativity of these wonderful machines and works of art! There were families with children of all ages having a marvelous time. In addition to watching the exhibits, there is a film room highlighting Rube Goldberg machines, and an interactive room where you can build your own marble tracks. It had a terrific gift shop, too! It's fun for all ages!Visited June 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 20 June 2023
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4.5
1,652 reviews
Excellent
1,204
Very good
347
Average
66
Poor
26
Terrible
10
StephenCross
Dublin, Ireland18,526 contributions
Mar 2024 • Couples
The Mad museum is located at the start of Henley Street on the right…we walked past the first time. Great concept and super for kids. Prices and opening hours in the attached photos.
Written 18 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Julia C
Ipswich, UK22 contributions
Mar 2024 • Couples
An amazing little place An unassuming entrance but so worth a visit. Amazing models and so interactive. No kids needed.
Written 16 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Val750
44 contributions
Mar 2024 • Couples
We were looking for a diversion and something to do, on a cold, cloudy day.
Stepped into here and felt like children again. We had a really good laugh. It's not a full day's visit, but also not advertised as such. The displays are only in the one floor, so not a massive place. However all the displays are interactive and kept us amused for an hour or so.
Price..?
My one small gripe. At nearly £9/adult it is in my mind, a little overpriced but we knew the price before entering so can't grumble it's just an observation.
Stepped into here and felt like children again. We had a really good laugh. It's not a full day's visit, but also not advertised as such. The displays are only in the one floor, so not a massive place. However all the displays are interactive and kept us amused for an hour or so.
Price..?
My one small gripe. At nearly £9/adult it is in my mind, a little overpriced but we knew the price before entering so can't grumble it's just an observation.
Written 12 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helen D
11 contributions
Sept 2023 • Couples
A great place to visit for the young and old. Lots if quirky gadgets to see and interact with. A really fun place go with the family. Well laid out with toilet facilities.
Written 7 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Goswoppit
England, UK25 contributions
Mar 2024 • Friends
I spotted this while waiting to meet up with a group of friends. My friend and I decided to check out the museum while the others were having lunch and it was fabulous.
There's a lovely flow around the museum with lots of brilliantly designed exhibits by skilled craftspeople for young and old to explore. Press buttons and see many and varied designs in action, a number of which are installed so you can observe the internal workings.
All in all, it was a great way to spend 90 minutes seeing engineering and design and art in action. I plan to bring my teenagers here later this year.
There's a lovely flow around the museum with lots of brilliantly designed exhibits by skilled craftspeople for young and old to explore. Press buttons and see many and varied designs in action, a number of which are installed so you can observe the internal workings.
All in all, it was a great way to spend 90 minutes seeing engineering and design and art in action. I plan to bring my teenagers here later this year.
Written 3 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gidi
5 contributions
Feb 2024 • Family
We were grandparents with two grandchildren ages 4 and 5.5 and we all had a great time for about 2 hours from entry. The best part is the room we're you can make your own slides and experiment your engeneering abilities. It is a small museum but well organized. It was really fun!
Written 13 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Emma A
3 contributions
Dec 2023 • Family
It was great to see all the different mechanical pieces on display, however it was small and only taken 30mins and thought it was expensive for what it is.
Written 28 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
markpage83
Northampton, United Kingdom13 contributions
Jan 2024 • Family
The contraptions here are wonderful!
There is all sorts for the younger ones to do. Marble runs you can build and lots of interactive models.
Our children are 10, 6 and 3. They all really enjoyed it!
There is all sorts for the younger ones to do. Marble runs you can build and lots of interactive models.
Our children are 10, 6 and 3. They all really enjoyed it!
Written 21 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Donna W
16 contributions
Jan 2024 • Family
From aged 7 to 74 (no prizes for guessing who has the shortest attention span!) our whole family group enjoyed at least 2.5hrs of brilliant fun combined learning. We were full of admiration for the designers, mesmerised by the exhibits with everything so accessible and lively!
Not a conventional museum for sure.
Definitely enjoyed ourselves.
Couldn’t recommend a visit more!
Not a conventional museum for sure.
Definitely enjoyed ourselves.
Couldn’t recommend a visit more!
Written 20 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Neil Barlow
14 contributions
Jan 2024 • Family
I took my Grandchildren here ages 4 & 7, we absolutely loved it and spent about 3 hours watching and playing. They both had great fun trying to build their own marble runs and enjoyed watching the many moving creations. Situated in a beautiful town so had a short walk to the river when we had finished.
Written 13 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
little-miss-magic1
Wimborne Minster, UK483 contributions
Please can anyone advise of possible time spent here? While I realise this will vary, I’d be grateful for a vague idea please. Will just be two adults.
Jussi&Paul
Birmingham, UK93 contributions
I would say anywhere between a good hour to three hours depending on your level of interest, my husband also enjoyed creating his own marble run in the play area just as much as our 6 & 10 year olds and could have spent 45 mins alone in this part of the museum. I know my Dad who is in his 70’s could easily spend upwards of a couple of hours in here. We loved it.
Is this aimed specifically at children? My partner and I are visiting Stratford again over Valentines weekend and something different to the Shakespeare world would be great.
MG
Stratford-upon-Avon, UK4 contributions
Hi Kara
While we do get children and schools enjoying the Museum, Adults also love it, if you like Heath Robinson or Mad Marble Runs or an interest in engineering you will love it.
Hope that helps, you can find more information on our website.
MG
Caroline Q
Coventry, UK4 contributions
Is Mad Museum suitable for toddler only just 3 (will also have 5 & 6 year old)?
GOMS2013
Newcastle upon Tyne, UK860 contributions
Your 3 year old maybe a bit young (certainly for some parts) but your 5 & 6 year olds will love it.
Joy C
st helens27 contributions
Taking 4 year old grandaughter to Stratford. Weather forecast atrocious. Apart from the butterfly farm is there anywhere in the town to keep her occupied and me sane please. Thank you.
Dale O
Cardiff, UK81 contributions
The mad museum has things for all ages to see. It is a very interesting place and slot to see. There is a cinema called the picture house.
Also a lot of shops to visit such as the Christmas shop that is open all year around and Harry Potter themed shops.
I hope this helps
natalie1982natalie
Birmingham, UK
Hi all,
Is there many things to do for children thinking of taking my 8year old,thanks for reply x
MG
Stratford-upon-Avon, UK4 contributions
Hi Natalie, It's perfect for 8-year-olds. MAD is almost entirely hands-on so there are plenty of buttons to press, machines to interact with and marble runs to be made. Please take a look at the 'families' page on our website for more details. Thanks Natalie.
sarahcl_89
Birmingham, UK10 contributions
Would this museum be interesting for my 4 year old boy or should I wait until he's older?
GOMS2013
Newcastle upon Tyne, UK860 contributions
I think that he would appreciate may aspects of it now. It is very tactile and there is plenty of stuff to do and lots of buttons to push to make things work. There is certainly nothing dangerous about any of the displays and I know that the curator said that HSE had approved their exhibits.
Loveit08
1 contribution
Would this be a great day out for a young couple without children? How long does it normally take to walk round?
DonDons369
Boston, UK389 contributions
Hi,
Even as a family with a 9yr old child, it only took us an hour. Worth getting the joint ticket with the Guildhall and Shakespeare's School rooms if you are interested in a bit of history of the place and Shakespeare.
Carla C
15 contributions
Hi we have a day spare next week in our holidays and this place has caught our eye, but just wondered if there are any other things near by that we can do with our 4 year old, I know this is not a question about your exhibition, we are already sold on coming to visit but we are not familiar with the area at all, thanks
MG
Stratford-upon-Avon, UK4 contributions
Hi Carla, thanks for your interest in our MAD Museum. There's plenty of great stuff to see and do in Stratford upon Avon. Your four year old would no doubt love the interactivity in the Butterfly Farm and Shakespeare's Schoolroom and Guildhall is also really interesting, plus under 5yrs are free! I hope that helped Carla. See you soon
Martinsddn
2 contributions
Is there parking?
MG
Stratford-upon-Avon, UK4 contributions
Hi, we don't have parking but the closest car park to MAD is Windsor Street multi-storey car park which is a 2 minute walk to the museum (CV37 6NL).
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Frequently Asked Questions about The MAD Museum
- According to Tripadvisor travellers, these are the best ways to experience The MAD Museum:
- Shakespeare's England Explorer Pass - 1 Day Pass (From €58.24)
- Shakespeare's England Explorer Pass - 2 Day Pass (From €70.13)
- Shakespeare's England Explorer Pass - 3 Day Pass (From €82.01)
- City Sightseeing Stratford-upon-Avon Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour (From €19.61)
- Shakespeare’s Stratford-Upon-Avon: A Self-Guided Audio Tour (From €8.22)
- Hotels near The MAD Museum:
- (0.17 km) The White Swan Hotel, Stratford
- (0.16 km) Ground floor apartment, close to town centre, reserved parking space
- (0.10 km) Courtland Hotel
- (0.17 km) The Queens Head
- (0.28 km) Hotel Indigo Stratford Upon Avon
- Restaurants near The MAD Museum:
- (0.01 km) Cornish Bakery
- (0.02 km) Subway
- (0.02 km) Zoo sushi & bubble tea
- (0.02 km) Caffe Nero
- (0.04 km) Hobsons Patisseries