We have been entertaining and inspiring visitors & makers with our collection of automata since 1981. Now based in Hastings, UK we have exhibitions all over the world.
We need your help to run our 2026 community engagement projects. As a non profit company all donations go towards our goals to share the magic of automata with our local and global community.
A new piece from Paul Spooner. “If you were trying to make a mechanism that transmitted rotary motion smoothly, here are three mechanisms to avoid. 1). The well-known sliding block…
21 Rotary Tool Tips and Tricks for Automata-Makers The high-speed rotary tool can do the work of dozens of other tools. With the right bits and accessories, this little powerhouse…
A new limited edition from Paul Spooner. “Another piece that exploits the attractive/repulsive effects of neodymium magnets. The handle turns a cylinder in which a magnet is inserted radially so…
Fi Henshall’s latest piece The Lab Birds features two birds with an interest in science. The intricate mechanism includes bellows, cams and linkages, which produce realistic bird tweets, and graceful…
This new exhibition of 20 exhibits from our collection is travelling to Hampshire for the run-up to Christmas this year. Many of the exhibits are by Paul Spooner, including several…
A Man of Many Faces: a Prototype Wooden Head from Basic Shapes Creating interesting characters is an important part of making a wood automaton because they are often the actors…
This is a list of related books, materials and tools which may be helpful when reading articles from our blog series Dug’s Automata Tips, Techniques and Tricks. Tips & Tricks…
The latest automata edition from Fi Henshall features a beautiful but hungry bird, intent on devouring the book ‘Beasts’ by R C Bird. Great style and movement. This piece will…
