The Spinning Top & Yo-Yo Museum of Tops, Yo-Yos, Gyroscopes, Spin toys, Spinners.
Hands-on science.  Field trips. Mystery Tours. Shows. Hands-on Programs, Hands-on toys!  
 
Yo--- LIKE us on Facebook!  Spinning Top & Yo-Yo Museum
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GOOD NEWS: THE TOY GIFT SHOP IS OPEN by chance or appointment!
Gyroscopes have arrived!  

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 . INTERNATIONAL .
 TOP SPINNING DAY 
 is 
OCT. 9, 2024!

Reports & photos for 2023 will be posted soon.
Start planning for Oct. 9, 2024-
Spin your tops wherever you are,
and email us the total, etc.
Celebrate-  the earth is a spinning top!


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yes, you may take a yo-yo class
YO-YO CLASS by appointment
and get a great ball bearing yo-yo is included!  (for ages 8-108!)
Plus learn 10 classic tricks!
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! Give your family “tricks” to do !
FREE quick  demonstration of 3 fun, action trick toys.  
More tricks can be devised and practiced at home with
these physics and science toys for ageless fun and challenge.

-Either by appointment or by chance,
-held in the museum's gift/toy shop. 

-Best for adults and families (ages 7- 107)
-Free parking.

The action toys are also for sale in the toy shop after the free demonstration,
with sales helping to support the non-profit educational organization.  



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     ... Spinning Top & Yo-Yo Museum ... 
  sorry museum tours are not available right now- classes & workshops still being offered
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~ the Unique Museum! is a 4-part program & tour
with hands-on tops & optical spinners!
Museum gift shop open after the tour!_____________________________________________________________ 
TXTX_copyright_SpinningTopMuseumDetails, admission, ages, click:
Spinning Top & Yo-Yo Museum TOUR TIMES 
Tour & Hands-On Tops & Program
 & meet Tops Expert

...call 262 763-3946,
 if we are out:

Leave your  message on our phone with
-your name, phone (with area code),
 and repeat your phone number slowly please. 
Tickets must be ordered in advance.
(Our other Museum has different hours: Logic Puzzle Museum)

Scroll down to the "Reward for you" section below ..
get Top$ credits to spend in our gift shop!




Beginners ages 8-108! 
YO-YO CLASS!
 yo_yo__trick___boy













I
ncludes a ball bearing yo-yo to keep!  
Register ahead, limited space
262 763-3946


 



                            


  a few of the thousands of fun things in our gift & toy shop!
                              
    




.....Tops & Spinning Gizzmos make great gifts.....
           
for kids and grandpas, and all ages in- between
         and for schools and living rooms, parties, science fun, and college dorms!
         2 Catalog pages to shop: 
          Top Museum Catalog Page 1
          Top Museum Catalog Page 2




 Temporarily not available: Field Trips, Bus Tours & Group Visits!
~for groups of 35-50 people!  Group Discount available.
 
   Daytime, evening, weekends: your choice. Call 262 763-3946 for details.




magnifier_Antiqueavailable: Can you See the
World's Smallest Tops?! 

  Just $1/person, $2 minimum,
 During toy & museum gift shop hours.
  Call for hours, as they vary: 262 763-3946
  




PHOTOS!!!
!   Here are
3 different links to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel articles of a past event!
Annual Yo-Yo & Skill Toy Convention 
 ARTICLE         9 PHOTOS     VIDEO  REPORT   

   


The Spinning Top & Yo-Yo Museum
is a famous attraction with its unique and lively
visit/tour with a presentation! (much more than just an exhibit)


Click: HOURS TO VISIT 
Try 40+ hands-on spinning tops & hands-on action top games, optical
illusions,  see the amazing exhibit of 2,000 tops & yo-yos & gyroscopes;
top spinning 
videos, try the I Spy Hunt plus enjoy a live presentation
by celebrity,
The Top Lady, Judith Schulz.

This is not a typical museum; rather it is a program, guided personal tour,
demonstrations, major exhibit and 40 hands-on tops & top games to try! Fun!

Location: Burlington, Wisconsin, USA  (SW of Milwaukee, in Racine County, North of Chicago, Illinois ) 

Here everyone is a kid again!   
Meet the Tops Expert from an MGM movie, spin top toys, see unusual spinner tops in the
presentation,and afterwards visit the gift shop with hundreds of spinning things, both 
modern and antique. You will see toy tops, trompos, trottoles, toupies, kreisels, komas,
gyroscopes, yo-yos, and more from around the world: plus actually try a number of
different and interesting spinning tops. 

The live presentation is a unique feature included in the fast 2 hour visit/tour/program! 
It includes seeing first hand how a number of unique spinners and tops actually work, 
several classic yo-yo tricks, a gyroscope trick, see the MGM movie prop tops, and a movie
scene re-enactment. A little science and history is woven into the demonstration, too.

Hands-On Tops & Top Games to try  optical illusion Tops, tops that defy physics tops, 
cultural tops, a no-hands top, bracket tops, wire rollers, comparison challenge, a style invented in the 1880s
that makes people smile, old fashion pump top, spindle tops, finger tops, action spinning games with surprises
and points, and more. This list varies from time to time.
Note Yo-Yo notes:
If you bring your own yo-yo along, you are invited to show a few tricks you know 
during the show portion of the tour. Yo-Yos are not part of the hands-on feature at the museum.
 Yo-yos are part of the exhibit, classic yo-yo tricks are demonstrated during the show, a large 
selection of yo-yos are available in the gift shop and then yo-yo classes are offered at other times.

Peg/skill throwing tops: if you wish to learn the skill throwing peg top, classes are offered at other times, 
but these type of skill tops are not part of the hands-on feature of the museum for safety reasons. They are on exhibit & 
demonstrated during the show presentation, of course.

HARK  The museum is not open for drop-in visits because
it is a program at specific times: 
click here for posted times.
Other times can be arranged for large groups.



Yo-Yo Classes
Learn to Yo-Yo! 
Get a great ball bearing yo-yo to keep & learn many yo-yo tricks!
 Beginners: ages 8-adult.  Registration required.


Learn to spin the SKILL PEG TOPS, classic fun!
 Try the competitive games & learn a trick, too. Get the wood top with metal peg, string & 
button to keep. For ages 7-107. Learn from the instructor who taught 
the movie stars how to spin these tops! Class registration required.


Check the times for the hands-on
 Logic Puzzle Museum, too!
60 brainteasers & mechanical puzzles to try! See exhibit & make a puzzle to keep.
Puzzle/brainteaser catalog page, too 



Save the dates: ANNUAL 
YO-YO & SKILL TOYS CONVENTION
as seen in  past years: AAA's ‘Get Up & Go’ section, Chase's Events, Racine Journal Times' 
Out & About 
Magazine, St. Paul MN Pioneer Press Travel Section front page, Discover WI TV, and more
.
More than $500 of prizes!
And.....special Annual
Major Yo-Yo Exhibit
1000 Yo-Yos & Memorabilia



Great gifts for kids & grown-up kids:
click here to buy things:

~ CATALOG p.1~
~
CATALOG p.2 ~
 Toys, Spinning Tops, Gyroscopes, 
Spinning Toys, Spin Physics & fun of all sorts


Of course you know the movie A Christmas Story with Ralphie! 
Did you know that we worked on the sequel to that movie, and our name 
is in the credits! Visit the museum to see some of the movie props and 
meet the Tops Expert from My Summer Story.
 

                                  an independent review from a parent... 

"The Spinning Top and Yo-Yo Museum is 
more of an experience then classic museum. 
Which is a good thing! 
I went with my 9 year old son, who ate up the hands on time with the vast array
 of tops, games, and intricate pieces. I won't lie, I giggled and played with everything
 myself, and had just as much fun. This was followed by an I-Spy game, 
with the winner getting a prize. (Not an easy feat when you see how
 large this collection actually is!) The demonstration portion was fabulous
 with audience participation, that shows just how in-depth "toys"
 like tops and yo-yo's can be. The presenter was entertaining, 
personable, and informative. With thousands of tops, and yo-yo's
its visually a feast for the eyes. I look forward to going again!" 
Visited March 2013





Please click  about gifts.....
~ Great Toys & Tops for kids and grown-ups from our CATALOG ~
things for grandpa, college-age, engineers, teachers, schools, 
kids, teens & the entire family for living room fun
!
Birthday gifts, science projects, toys next to the computer,
 start a collection, teacher thank-yous,old fashion fun, new science magic!
Tell everyone they are tops this year!
Top Catalog Page 1   Top Catalog Page 2

...and find puzzles & brainteasers here
Logic Puzzle Museum Catalog




~Free fun:
TRY this Top Puzzle! it's free!



~REWARD for you:
If you would like to donate your copy of any of these back issues,we would be delighted...
a few extra copies are needed for our archives. If you bring a copy in excellent/good/complete condition
to donate, we offer a reward/discount off on anything in our gift shop that day, per issue!
Reward is a coupon to spend in our gift shop, no minimum purchase required. You can even combine coupons!
 ~ Reminisce Magazine,   Nov/Dec 1998:  Reward $2 discount coupon for gift shop.
~ Midwest Living Magazine,   issue listing 2012 Yo-Yo Convention.  Reward $1 discount coupon for gift shop.
~ AAA Magazine March 2011, & the issue with  the 2012 Yo-Yo Convention listing:  Reward $1 discount coupon for gift shop.
~ Our Wisconsin Magazine, Feb. 2016 issue and or Jan 2018 issue:   Reward: $1 discount coupon for each  for gift shop.
~ Wisconsin Trails Magazine May/June 2010 issue


TV....A fun segment that appeared on Madison, Wisconsin's
WKOW TV on the 10 pm
news:See a bit of the museum and meet the director.
The piece is called Someone You Should Know  
click on this link to view the story, 
not sure if video is still available
 
http://www.wkowtv.com/Global/category.asp?C=135523

 

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This list will not be used by anyone other than the
Top Museum and our Logic Puzzle Museum. Thanks for signing up!
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COOL
  Take a panoramic 360 degree look at our street and great historic
  building facades, photos by Ned Chiariello.   (you need Quick Time to view this)  
Use your Shift key, Control key to zoom in and out, and your mouse to move left
and right. It's fun to see our neighborhood, and we hopeto see you soon!
    http://homepage.mac.com/panophoto/.Movies/Top4LoRez.mov

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Groups!
The Viper Club of America, Illinois Region came to tour the  tourist attraction of Burlington
Spinning Top Museum    
Almost 2 Million Dollars worth of cool cars were downtown Burlington, Wisconsin.
Owners came from as far North as Green Bay, Wisconsin and as far South as Frankfurt, Illinois.
21 Dodge Viper cars were parked throughout downtown, with 8 in front of our buildings.
Take a look:
at two 360 degree virtual reality photos by Ned Chiariello. (You need Quick Time to view this)
  Use your Shift key, Control key to zoom in and out, and your mouse to move left and right.
  1.     http://homepage.mac.com/panophoto/.Movies/Viper.mov
  2.    
http://homepage.mac.com/panophoto/.Movies/Viper2.mov

Model A car clubs, Convertible Car Clubs, Harley Clubs have all been here..
You can schedule your group, organization, church group, too:
call to set up a time for your group of 30-50 people. (262)763-3946

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  Free
Special Event wherever you are!   
Do take part in the Free International Top Spinning Day   
wherever you are in the world that day
  
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SPINNING TOP & YO-YO MUSEUM of toy spinning tops, yo-yos, gyroscopes. Burlington, Wisconsin........... HANDS-ON TOY MUSEUM with a LIVE PRESENTATION

This is a unique museum because it is more than an amazing exhibit, and it has specific times to visit for a program with hands-on, a tour, exhibits, and a live presentation!   Check the HOURS & EVENTS page on this website or give us a call for other times. (262) 763-3946     Adult groups, student field trips, group outings, science classes, Scout troops, engineers, tourists, and families have been enjoying it for 2.5 decades. We are located in Burlington in Racine County, about 30 minutes west of the City of Racine, South West of Milwaukee, and just 10 minutes from Lake Geneva, Wisconsin: in Southeastern Wisconsin.   Burlington is known as Chocolate City, and we know Chocolate is Tops!   Science turns everything here when you meet the tops expert, the top spinner for Ralphie spinning tops in the MGM movie My Summer Story, the sequel to the famous movie A Christmas Story.  

And as a family museum,   there is plenty of hands-on time for kids and adults!  
(P.S.   Senior Citizen tours really love their visit and fun here, too!)

& See the extensive, amazing exhibition which   includes
Carrom Boards              Antique tops                                  
Cracker Jack Toys         Modern tops
Games with tops             Japanese tops
Gyroscopes                    Rattlebacks
Optical tops                    You-pays
Pumps tops                     Yo-yos
Diabolos                         Yo-Yo contest patches
Peg tops                         Advertising tops
Dreidles                           Put 'take game tops
Memorabilia                    Old ads
Whip Tops                      Button style spinners
Yo-yos                            Yo-Yo contest patches
Booklets                          Contest signs
Display boxes                  Aerial tops
a kite & top set!              A bubble blower & top set!
Vintage tops                    Postcards & greeting cards
Clown tops                      Postage stamps
MGM Movie memorabilia
Fudge TV show memorabilia
Tops & toys from around the world!
                      And so much more...

Frequently Asked Questions about the Spinning Toy Top & Yo-Yo Museum

Top Museum visitor ages, reservation info, buying in the gift shop, adult & school programs: everything you wanted to ask. CLICK on FAQ for all the answers.
Spinning tops, gyroscopes, yo-yos, toy tops, top games, dreidles, wizzers, spinning science, toy history, wood tops, button spinners, Cracker Jack tops, diabolos, 
and Gibbs tops are found in this interactive museum: The Top Museum.   All of this just 2 hours north of Chicago. 
Tour groups, senior tours, school field trips, club tours, and families all enjoy this hands-on museum in downtown Burlington, WI.   And... do come to the annual 
YO-YO, ETC. CONVENTION:  days of yo-yos, yo-yo contests, toy exhibits, yo-yo collectors, paddleballs, hula hoops, juggling, and lots of other spinning science fun.

READ & SEE MORE ABOUT THE SPINNING TOY TOP & YO-YO MUSEUM IN WISCONSIN

The Spinning Top Museum is featured on TV, radio, national magazines, and newspapers including Ripley's Believe it or Not TV, PBS' Wild Chicago, Reminisce Magazine,
 Chicago Tribune, and more.   CLICK on "Read More" button on left of this page or at bottom of this page. Our famous Yo-Yo Convention has offered   the Original 
Wisconsin State Yo-Yo contest, the Worldwide Yo-Yo Contest, Saturday exhibitions, demonstrations, yo-yos everywhere, paddle balls and science toys, juggling, diabolos, 
"collecting yo-yos," endless spinning science, family activities, Duncan yo-yo experts, funny yo-yo contests,     and playing for   for kids and grown-up kids!

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: SPINNING TOY TOP & YO-YO MUSEUM

Your volunteer help is needed at this non-profit, educational center. CLICK here for Volunteer JOBS to learn more.

Donations to the Spinning Toy Top & Yo-Yo Museum

Donations to the non-profit, educational museum are tax deductible in most cases. Please visit the donations page for details.
Financial donations and gifts of tops, yo-yos, and gyroscopes are always welcome.

CONTACT & VISIT THE SPINNING TOY TOP & YO-YO MUSEUM, LOGIC PUZZLE MUSEUM

(262) 763-3946           533 Milwaukee Avenue,   Burlington, WI 53105   USA  

  We are one of the official "quirky destinations" in WI;   honored to be in OffBeat Museums, Eccentric America, Oddball Wisconsin, and recommended 
by the funny and talented Smothers Brothers. Toy collectors, former kids, and current kids all enjoy the hands-on, interactive museum. From homeschooling families 
and MENSA groups, to Harley Motorcycle clubs and engineers, groups enjoy this family museum.   Meet the Top Lady, Judith Schulz, who is the top expert with 
a peg top, casting top, or throw top from   MGM"s movie My Summer Story.

CATALOG! SPINNING TOY TOPS, TOYS, YO-YOS

Spinning Tops and spinning toys for sale on the  Catalog Page:  
         
Buy spinning tops and give
- the entire family a top this season
- as a set   to your favorite group or classroom
- everyone a top for the next holiday
- for a science fair exhibit with spinning tops
- a start to your own toy top collection
a growing child a new top or two every holiday and create   a lifelong heirloom toy collection
- for a baby shower gift
- to a budding scientist
- to an executive
- to the person who has everything, except our top that spins for up to 7 days!  

 

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  ~  Spinning Top & Yo-Yo Museum  ~
533 Milwaukee Avenue, historic downtown Burlington, Wisconsin 53105  USA
(262) 763-3946
[email protected]

Copyright 2004-2024   Non-profit, educational Spinning Top & Yo-Yo Museum

 

 

 

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