Windsor VT – American Precision Museum

Posted on October 28, 2026

I am the planner and organizer of our trips. As I carefully researched things to do around Hartland Vermont, I came across the listing for the American Precision Museum. It was described as an industrial and mechanical history museum. Yawn. So I didn’t mention this to Mr. Ken.

However, one night at the Fat Sheep Farm, Mr. Ken says to me:

“I just came across the neatest thing – the American Precision Museum! Wouldn’t it be fun to go there?”

I’m thinking to myself, “busted!” But, since Mr. Ken has been so good natured about driving by cows and going to crystal stores, it was the least I could do.

Here he is, in front of the museum. Notice his excited smile. The American Precision Museum is housed in the historic 1846 Robbins & Lawrence Armory in Windsor, Vermont, and preserves the birthplace of the American System of manufacturing and precision machine tools.

American Precision Museum VT - Mr. Ken outside — **American Precision Museum VT – Mr. Ken outside**

Needless to say, there were a lot more men in the museum than women and every single man had a pocket protector. After all, who else but engineering types would be interested in this museum?

It was actually more interesting than I thought it would be. Ken was absolutely fascinated by everything inside. Here he is mesmerized by a piece of machinery.

American Precision Museum VT - Mr. Ken fascinated — **American Precision Museum VT – Mr. Ken fascinated**

I did manage to find a few things of interest. This display of miniature machinery was cute.

American Precision Museum VT - Miniature machinery — **American Precision Museum VT – Miniature machinery**

Speaking of cute things, there was a 3-D printer on display. Next to the printer were these cute little creatures, so of course I just had to take two of them. We named them Blu and T-Rex. Blu belongs to our Bernard (the Canadian moose) and T-Rex belongs to Barley (the Buckingham Palace horse).

Vermont American Precision Museum - Blu and T-Rex — **Vermont American Precision Museum – Blu and T-Rex**

And the display of one of the original electric typewriters and rotary phones. I am dating my self, but I remember typing on one of these typewriters.

American Precision Museum VT - Old typewriter and rotary phone — **American Precision Museum VT – Old typewriter and rotary phone**

The cutest thing was these little creatures that were created by a 3D printer. Now I don’t completely understand how a 3D printer works (it is a fairly recent phenomenon), but the end result is pretty cool. We took these little guys home and named them Blu and T-Rex. They have become the constant companions of our dear Bernard (the Canadian Moose) and Barley (the Buckingham Palace horse). 🙂

American Precision Museum VT - Blu and T-Rex — **American Precision Museum VT – Blu and T-Rex**

This armory was so well known, it even had an exhibit at the Crystal Palace in London! The Crystal Palace was designed to house the Great Exhibition of 1851, an international celebration of industrial technology and culture organized by Prince Albert.

American Precision Museum VT - Crystal Palace exhibit — **American Precision Museum VT – Crystal Palace exhibit**

There was even an interesting wheel sculpture outside the museum, next to the river.

American Precision Museum VT - Wheel sculpture — **American Precision Museum VT – Wheel sculpture**

No surprise the armory, since it manufactured guns, was built next to a river, called the Mill Brook, since this is where it got power. I have a feeling that the river wasn’t quite as scenic way back when since industrial waste was dumped into the river.