The MAD Museum

Based in Poets Arbour on Sheep Street in Stratford-upon-Avon, the MAD Museum houses an exciting collection of weird and wonderful Kinetic Art and Steampunk machines for visitors to view and interact with.

Kinetic Art is all about wacky, off the wall machines consisting of enchantingly clever movement, Automata mechanisms are made up of self-operating, robotic contraptions, while Steampunk is more nitty-gritty with its origins emanating from the Victorian era. Steampunk machines celebrate the intricate workings of churning cogs, rolling balls, nuts and bolts and are heavily elaborate contraptions where fiction meets fancy.

What started as an idea gradually became a lifelong ambition for entrepreneur, Richard Simmons and has now become a reality; ‘I have always been fascinated by how things work and love to see how mechanical parts interact with each other. The MAD Museum is a collection of some of the best pieces from artists across the UK and Europe and we have over 200 items to showcase.’

The MAD Museum consists of two floors full of incredible, mind-blowing designs and intricate workings, a wealth of interactive fun to experience for the little kids and the big kids!

The quirky entertainment continues outside the museum into our MAD Garden, which is full of wacky water and wind sculptures!

THE MAD CHEVY PICK-UP TRUCK

After weeks and weeks in the garage being tweaked and tuned, our 1939 Chevrolet pick-up truck is finally back on the road! MAD founder, Richard Simmons excitingly took it for a spin last week and it ran like clockwork! Give us a wave if you ever see (or hear!) the official MAD motor vehicle!