automata

Vintage robots are more fun and less creepy than modern robots. Also, I'm a Jules Verne weeb.

11 Places

Tipoo's Tiger

A delightful crank-operated pipe organ depicts a tiger calmly devouring a hapless colonial.

Annetta Black

Added by Annetta Black

Barnard Castle, England

The Silver Swan

A perfectly running 230-year-old silver automaton and music box.

Annetta Black

Added by Annetta Black

Grenoble, France

Canard Digérateur de Vaucanson (Vaucanson's Digesting Duck)

Vaucanson's most famous automaton, brought back to life.

Annetta Black

Added by Annetta Black

Neuchâtel, Switzerland

Jaquet-Droz Automata

These magnificent 240-year-old machines are considered distant ancestors of the computer.

Rachel

Added by Rachel

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Maillardet's Automaton

The origin of this mechanical boy was a mystery until he revealed his maker by writing it in perfect cursive.

paulypaul

Added by paulypaul

Automatons and Dolls of Yesteryear

Thousands of costumed dolls fill one of the world's creepiest museums.

Facebook1513682660

Added by Facebook1513682660

Prague, Czechia

Prague Astronomical Clock

Macabre astrological automaton clock dating to the late 1400s.

michelle

Added by michelle

Machines of the Isle of Nantes

Massive puppet-automaton machines created by French artist collective Machines de l’Ile.

Wiscasset, Maine

Musical Wonder House

An 18th-century home taken over by antique automatons and musical machines (Closed).

michelle

Added by michelle

Astronomical Clock of Lyon

For hundreds of years, automatons moving to metallic music have been marking the passage of time.

Allison

Added by Allison

Saint Petersburg, Russia

Peacock Clock

A 250-year-old timepiece-automaton adorned with golden mechanical birds, which still sing to this day.

Allison

Added by Allison

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