House on the Rock, Dodgeville

I went here many times when I was rather little, and could only remember things in bits and pieces of nearly useless thoughts, but I managed to convince a couple of close friends to roadtrip there with me. Merely driving up the road to the place we were amused by the metal sculptures that lined each side. Before we'd even begun our first tour we were captivated by the gardens, which featured small, but very pretty waterfalls, charming wooden bridges, hundreds of orange and white fish, and many strategically-placed plants. It all added up to a very zen-like feeling. The first tour took us up to the main house, and though it was very interesting and we were endlessly surprised by what treasures all the nooks and crannies hid (even in the bathrooms!), the ceilings were abnormally low and the place was damp from all the indoor water effects and had a strange smell to it. At first it comes off as a bit creepy and you expect to have things jumping out at you like some historic haunted house, but quickly you settle into the rhythm. You can't not expect anything here. We found the second tour a bit more interesting than the first. It wasn't as cramped, although much of it was still damp and musty. There's a lot of cool stuff hidden away, waiting to be spotted by the unsuspecting visitor. I would suggest that you don't come through here planning to fill your stomachs at one of the two food places, fact being that the food is expensive and even the drinks are expensive, including a bottle of water for nearly two dollars. The ice cream, however, was worth it. Delicious! Tour three almost blended right in with tour two, but here the lighting seems to grow even dimmer. As if all of the dolls peering out at you in the only mildly bad lighting wasn't enough! And while small children may be put out that riding the carousel is off-limits, it's breathtaking to just see the behemoth! It puts you on edge when you see a vague sign dangling over the walkway stating a couple facts of the carousel without actually telling you what's ahead, setting a precedent, but you're still completely unarmed when you walk around the bend and see all of it's lights blinking and glittering. As a quick tip, I'm going to tell you to be prepared for rather revealing female statues during the last two tours. They seem to be nearly everywhere. I believe you receive four free tokens when you purchase your tickets, but some of the things throughout the tour require more than one, and I only saw a single token machine during the tour, so think ahead! Personally I think it would be more worthwhile to use the tokens for the massive self-playing orchestras. It's really stunning to be able to hear well-known works of art being played before your eyes by inanimate mechanisms. Charge your cameras for this trip, but I'd like to warn you, I haven't taken or seen a single picture that can even compare to what you see with your own eyes.

Great Collections not for people who dont like dark close spaces I took lot of pics but the low light many were not good better camera and flash next time

Seeing House on the Rock for the first time, both my husband and I thought this was wonderful. I can't understand why people in other reviews bash it for not having exits and strange displays??? That makes no sense to me. If you go to the house only to choose to complain, then you are missing the experience. The main house, built right on the rock is so strange and unique, you can't help be awed. I found it hard to believe that this was someone's home, and I was blown away by the collections in the remaining buildings. I can't believe the grandeur and amazing things in this complex. It was well wohht the money, well worth the 5 hours spent exploring and hundreds of pictures, and just so much fun.

Seeing House on the Rock for the first time, both my husband and I thought this was wonderful. I can't understand why people in other reviews bash it for not having exits and strange displays??? That makes no sense to me. If you go to the house only to choose to complain, then you are missing the experience. The main house, built right on the rock is so strange and unique, you can't help be awed. I found it hard to believe that this was someone's home, and I was blown away by the collections in the remaining buildings. I can't believe the grandeur and amazing things in this complex. It was well wohht the money, well worth the 5 hours spent exploring and hundreds of pictures, and just so much fun.

I had always heard some many different stories about the house so I had to go see for myself. The collections are essentric, large and absolutely beautiful. The carousel is the most amazing sight I have ever seen! The food at the imagination point resturant is delicious and even the bathrooms are beautiful. My only complaint................my feet hurt so bad by the end of the day. Take very comfortable walking shoes, an empty digital SD card and lots of time. It is very worth the trip

Let me BEG you to heed this review. The House on the Rock, which at first sounds like it might be something of interest, at the end of the day has gobbled up a tremendous entrance fee from your wallet ($75 for our family of three), and lots of TIME that you will never get back. The guy that built this place was an eccentric fruitcake. The layout of the house and the "collections" contained inside resemble a living nightmare from which you cannot awaken. The lights are exceedingly low, no doubt to cover the immense filth. As you travel from room to room, you begin to wonder WHY anyone would try to gather up everything they have ever seen and then display it. By the time you enter the third section of the house, you and everyone else around you are wondering WHERE ARE THE EXITS? In fact, I maintain if an emergency occurred, such as a heart attack, etc., how in the wide world of sports would they get aid to the person? Plus, the vast enormity of "stuff" begs the question, "What happens if a fire broke out?" There would simply be no way of putting it out. You would see the blazes glow all the way in Madison. There is no mention of how strenuous a tour this is, leaving elderly folks wondering if this is where they will be interred. Musty smells, obnoxious music machines that howl endlessly out of tune, a labyrinth of seedy, cheesy artifacts that someone thought merited attention,...I'm telling you, my colonoscopy procedure was far more enjoyable. Do yourself a huge favor and avoid this like the plague. If you buy $100 worth of cheese, at least you'll have something worthwhile to show for the money spent.

This was the most interesting and I must say odd tour I've ever been on. It was well worth the trip and the money. I had to buy the tour book so I could show people, because I would never have been able to explain it. There are interesting collections for ALL ages and your feet will tire before your interest does. Hang onto the kids, because it would be very easy to get lost! This is a must see and I can't wait to go back with the rest of my family.

THE HOUSE WAS SO DIFFERENT FROM ANYTHING I'D EVER SEEN. DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO SEE IT ALL. WE'VE BEEN THERE TWICE. THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST KEPT SECRETS.

I simply can't imagine how anyone could write a positive review about this place! It is literally the worst thing we've ever spent money on, and we travel a lot and take many tours. The place REEKS of must, mold, and mildew -- I wouldn't want to spend longer than the half hour we were there, much less the 3-5 hours that is recommended. The whole place is obscenely ugly . . . it is basically dark tunnels with no windows (other than the one you have to pay full price to see) even though it is set in a beautiful area. The displays are unlabled, gaudy, and dusty. The room with the carosel (sp?) is absolutely freaky. The only reason anyone should spend money on this is if they turn it into a haunted house -- and even then the max should be $5.

When I was a little girl in the sixties, my family took me to House on the Rock. I went again in the seventies and the early eighties. I loved it. I accredit my love for stained glass to my early exposure to the place. BUT...... I went there again the other day to see the house again and I was thoroughly disappointed to what has been done to the place. It is not as it was in any shape or form. Little emphasis is placed on the house anymore and it does not flow. There are bars everywhere and you get no sense of it even being a house. The House on the Rock is not a house anymore but a cheap venue to attract tourists.