tinker swiss cottage museum & gardens

I use to take my girl scouts and cub scouts there to learn their town's history. I love to take out of town guests there also to show off our culture. Rockford is great place to live.

The tour guide is what made the whole experience really great. All the interesting facts she told us about the house were really great. We went in having no idea who Tinker was and left feeling very knowledgeable. The tour was maybe 60-75 minutes.

The story behind the Tinker Swiss Cottage is that the man who built it lived in a mansion nearby with his wife (unfortunately, the mansion has been torn down). He decided that he would like to build a little cottage for himself, although they both moved back and forth depending on the season. This cottage has many more rooms than you would expect. It has 3 usable floors. Mr. Tinker was a lover of fine wood, and that is reflected in this cottage. The woodwork is incredibly beautiful. There is one room with a spiral staircase going up to a gallery that is exquisite. Most of the furnishings were the Tinkers' or are from that time period. There used to be a swinging bridge over the creek between the houses. It has been replaced by a modern suspension bridge, although right now the bridge kind of goes to nowhere. It is my understanding that there will be gardens on the other side eventually. My one disappointment is that this is called a "Museum and Gardens", and there is only one kind of sad rose garden. There are some nice plantings by the cottage though. Our guide was very interesting, pleasant and knowledgeable. I don't believe there was one question asked that stumped him. This is a very worthwhile stop for lovers of old homes and woodworking.

We are very sorry to hear that you were unhappy with your visit. We are glad to hear that you thought the house was beautiful!I must clarify that your exhibit on the Traveling Tinkers WAS put together by grade school students, specifically those in the 3rd-5th grade classes. It was designed in conjunction with our Tinker to the Schools to give students the artistic chance to show their skills while copying some of the images from the Tinker collection.

Now, during the winter, is the time to visit. Jo, an awesome docent, gave a tour of a beautiful house where you are able to see everything up close (no ropes) and photos without flash are allowed. Many wonderful stories regarding the Tinker-Dorr families made the home alive. If you enjoy the Victorian Age, inventions, art, and beautiful craftsmanship, this is the place for you. My highlight was Tinker's spin on Sir Walter Scott's library.

I don't know what advertisement I was looking at to lead me here, but thought this more of an amusement and historical site with slide-down shutes. Anyway, I took the tour in a fairly large group. It left right on time. It went both fast and slow. The tour guide got us into and out of rooms quickly, but once there, took her time with her repeated banter. Slow narrative, but not much content. Too much talk of economy and how it's effected them, and I don't think the questions were well answered. She didn't even say when the tour was over. We were already outside and people just meandered away. Might have been the one guide, but it was frustrating. They gave coupon for free (under $10) lunch at select places. It was winter off season time was maybe why.

Tinker Swiss Cottage is such a treasure to the Rockford/Rock River Valley. The care that is taken with all the items that actually belonged to the Tinkers is seen in every room. It is not often that a museum has contents of the occupants of the home. The grounds are beautiful, and in the spring and summer the flowers are icing on the cake. This is a must see for anyone visiting the area and anyone living in the Rockford region. Tinker Swiss Cottage also hosts a lot of fun events, car shows, murder mystery nights, lectures, and paranormal tours.

To say that Tinker Swiss Cottage is unique would be an understatement. The house reflects its owner in nearly every aspect: design, construction, decoration and artwork. Merely hearing the stories of Mr. Tinker's many abilities and gifts isn't sufficient. You must see the incredible design as it sits on a rock cliff overlooking the creek, see the masterful portraits he drew, see the woodworking throughout the home especially in the library, to begin to appreciate the knowledge and skill of such a hardworking person. I've failed to mention the patience of such a person, one who also constructed furniture pieces from twisted and turns of tree roots! The cottage is a testimony to the human spirit I would say. It's truly a treasure in the City of Rockford.

This place was on the show Ghost Hunters and they say they found some strange happenings here. I believe it! This place is so cool and full of history but I think it is haunted. Gives me the willies just driving by. Take the brave kids and go for a spook.

I would have given this a higher rating but it was so crowded the day we visited here that it was impossible to really appreciate it and there are no signs to tell you what you are seeing. It is Victorian and has lots of original furniture and family items. Avoid visiting when there are tour buses.

This house/museum complex is something unlike you usually see in other house tours. The house looks very Swiss on the outside and somewhat on the inside, but very much of the design of the late 1800 Victorian era is also evident. What makes this house so wonderful is that ALL the contents and the house were donated to the City of Rockford - no reproductions, etc. The decor in the inside is amazing, with all the original wall paint (only has been cleaned, not redone) , paintings, furniture, dishes, and some hats, fans, etc. The inventive spirit of Mr. Tinker was also amazing. Many new construction ideas and techniques, along with all his own portraits and paintings were in the house. A gorgeous spiral staircase graced the house, murals in the kitchen, a finished basement with an office, and beautiful root wood furniture. The complex also has a barn that has been recreated after a fire destroyed the first one and they are in the process of redoing the grounds, including trying to recreate the rose garden. Mr. Tinker kept a diary of his activities and many pictures were also found, to make the authenticity of anything done in the house the best you will see. Our tour guide, Ms. Larson, was wonderful! Don't miss it.

This well maintained Swiss cottage will take you to the old times where you can see and imagine how a rich family was living back then. Mr. Tinker really left us a wonderful contribution.My family and I went in February so we couldn't appreciate the gardens. This museum is mainly for adults or teenagers and not for kids. The guide tour will take you to each room of the house to explain you the use and interesting details of the objects or of the construction.

When you have a couple of hours to burn, check this house out. Mr. Tinker was a pillar of the community, and an inventor. History buffs like me come from around the world when in the area to this place. Outside in the summer you can see the garden and check out all it has to offer.

The man that took us on our tour was awesome! He explained everything and knew everything about everything. This was very cool to be able to see for only $7!

I went to this home on a field trip. Now that I am much older, I went bck for the memories. The tour is wonderful. You will learn something new each with each visit. This house has been maintaned. It has great views, good parking and was just recently on a ghost haunting program. Sits right on the river. Must be able to walk stairs.