DISQUS

Forrest Aguirre · 2 years ago

I live about 45 minutes from house on the rock and have been through it once, a couple of years back (it is rather expensive to get in). The room pictured above is only one of many, many incredible rooms. You're right, the majority of it couldn't be considered steampunk, but the large rooms of automated orchestras (yes, automated orchestras) are decidedly steampunk. The naval room would strike a familiar chord - diving suits and possibly the largest collection of carved whale tooths and walrus tusks in the world. It really is an incredible place.

One thing about House on the Rock - it smells old. Not in a good way, either, it's incredibly musty, like someone's basement gone wrong. Once you get used to it, however, it has a certain . . . atmosphere . . . that smacks of antiquity. But it is amazing. Something you should experience at least once in your life - I'll have to get back there one of these days in the not too distant future . . .

Kat Bret Photography · 2 years ago

I think this is the same place mantioned in the Neil Gaiman book "American Gods", though then again I may be wrong, it has happened before.

lily · 1 week ago

yes!you are right.it plays a big role in the book.

Tom · 2 years ago

I live about 15 minutes away from House on the Rock. I have to agree with Forrest regarding the "atmosphere". Sadly, most of the amazing exhibits appear to be very neglected and in need of literally thousands of hours of labor to restore them to their one-time glory.

A very interesting place to visit, but also a little depressing.

Evil Jim · 2 years ago

I, too, live not far from the House on the Rock in Spring Green, Wisconsin. It's my favourite place to escape to. Once a year I go up to spend a day there, not meandering through the exhibits but just at the house proper, where I'll relax on one of the many benches overlooking the forest floor some 60 feet below & read my favourite book cover to cover.

Tickets are a little pricey these days, but you can purchase a partial & see only a third or so of the exhibits, which is rather convenient if you can't spare an entire day to see everything.

The photo depicted above is the Organ room, & my favourite, second only to the house itself.

plum phlogiston · 2 years ago

Wow, I was reading about this place only yesterday (rather fortean) in American Gods ...I wasn't sure if it was a figment of Neil Gaimans imagination, it seemed so strangely magical...wish I lived a little closer...

Kate · 2 years ago

I had read about this place in American Gods as well.

It sounds quite fascinating; I'll have to visit some time.

Prof. Zervo · 2 years ago

Oh my - looks mindblowing and worth a trip! I guess, for a similar experience - less steampunky, but more authentic, as it was actually lived in for decades by the midget heiress to a fortune made on producing guns - consider the Winchester Mystery House in San José - http://www.winchestermysteryhouse.com/.

Practical Archivist · 2 years ago

I visited the house before I read American Gods and I have to tell you that it made perfect sense -- especially the trick of winding your way through the museum in a spiral pattern. There really are emergency exit doors placed here and there.

The House is also one of those steampunky things that I loved before I'd ever heard of steampunk. The animatronic collection is astounding. The carousel room is... Well, I'm not sure how to describe the carousel room. Neil Gaiman does a much better job than I ever could. I've never seen anything else quite like it. It was used in a video by 10,000 Maniacs, although the title of the song escapes me at the moment.

Oh, and Tinkergirl? Should you ever make it to our* part of Wisconsin, I will gladly serve as your host and tour guide, and treat you to our finest local ales.

-Sally J.

*A hearty hullo to my neighbors in south central Wisconsin: Forrest, Tom, and Jim.

HappyCthulhu · 2 years ago

They just don't make things like this cast iron stove the the mica panels anymore.
And if they did....they'd be too expensive to buy.
http://i.pbase.com/u40/ysic/upload/35136271.pba...

Tinkergirl · 2 years ago

Thank you very much for the kind offer, Ms Sally!

I'd read American Gods a long time ago, but had forgotten most of it - probably means its a good time to read it again.

Thank you for the warning about the unique scent there, and it's sad to hear that it could do with some serious renovation - the photographs somehow manage to avoid that side of it.

Davis Thadweiler · 2 years ago

I have firmly decided that i cannot ever visit this house, no matter how short a travel it is. There is a great deal I wish to accomplish in my life. Very little can be accomplished with one's life when they are imprisoned for attempted grand larceny of an orchestra of priceless antiquated automatronic musical instruments.
I simply cannot dare tempt myself.

Radikin · 2 years ago

Wow! Interesting post and the photo gallery is simply amazing. A lot of creative energy is stored there, a lot of great ideas. I don't think I'll be able to travel there anytime soon, but I'll sure be back to look at that photo gallery again. Staggering!

Arrshley · 2 years ago

It's great to see fellow Wisconsinites posting here. :) Though I am more southeastern than southcentral being from Milwaukee. Like Practical Archivist, it's one of those things I've adored since long before I even knew what steampunk was. Also located in Wisconsin, I submit for your perusal Dr. Evermor's Sculpture Park. The Midwest seems to be home to all sorts of curiousities like this. I count myself lucky.

Ric · 2 years ago

The most amazing steampunk-y thing about HOTR is all the instruments and full orchestras that *play themselves*. Just astounding. A great place to go.

Dr. Sparkovski · 2 years ago

I wonder how amenable they would be to a weekend gathering of steampunks from across the globe. . .

Davis Thadweiler · 2 years ago

I like Sparkovski's idea, Brass Goggles needs to host some sort of convention or sociable gatheration.

Diane B · 2 years ago

It is indeed the same place as in American Gods, for those who are wondering.

The architecture of the house is amazing, and the collections in the rest of the museum are simply wondrous. I've been there twice and it still amazes me. The only part of it that's not so steampunk is all the updates they are trying to do-- they feel too new and not in line with the original creator's design at all. The good thing is, there's not much of the new stuff to see! =)

Datamancer · 2 years ago

This place is quite amazing. I was there on a cross-country road trip a few years ago. Incidentally, Dr. Evermor used to do some work at the HotR maintaining the exhibits.

-~D~-

escapismC · 2 years ago

My Mom's side of the family lived in Wisconsin and the HotR was always part of the road trip from Dallas. It was a fantastic and wonderous place as a kid that was still amazing when I saw it later as an adult.

Crashgrab · 2 years ago

Wow, is this the House on the Rock from in Neil Gaiman's American Gods? I knew it really existed, but I had no idea how spectacular it is!

Doctor Demetrius Radcliff · 2 years ago

This room looks like it from inside The Tardis!

Slackjaw · 9 months ago

I myself took a trip to the House because I heard about it thrice in three days from three friends who all began to describe the place so beautifully, then suddenly all three were overcome with a be-puzzled look and whispered "you just have to see it." Very well worth the trip!!! I went fast and it took 4 hours. Again, not only worth the money, but well worth traveling thousands of miles to by Airship!