The House of Automata – Forres, Scotland - Atlas Obscura

The House of Automata

Forres, Scotland

A curious collection of mechanical moving figures. 

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The House of Automata is a workshop and collection of antique and modern mechanical moving figures. 

Automata at the workshop can take the form of singing birds, dancing dolls, musicians, lifelike animals, circus performers, and living dioramas from the early 19th century to the present day.

In the workshop, you can see examples of all the various skills needed to restore and make automata. The skills of the clockmaker, musician, sculptor, painter, and dressmaker can all be used in an automaton restoration project.

A visit to the appointment-only House of Automata will give you an insight into the anatomy of mechanical life, from a sailing ship the size of a fingernail to the glamorous Nancy, a larger than life breathing automaton. 

Know Before You Go

It's open by appointment. Book a 45-minute behind-the-scenes visit to this workshop, including a presentation about restoration and demonstrations of rare automata performing.

Community Contributors

March 23, 2010

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