American Precision Museum
The American Precision Museum combines the atmosphere of an original 19th century factory building with a world-class collection of historic machines. The American Precision Museum is located in the Robbins & Lawrence Armory, a National Historic Landmark located in Windsor, Vermont. The 1846 armory building, the “Shaping America” exhibition and accompanying programs explore industrial history in the context of innovation, creative problem solving, and the impact of precision manufacturing on American history and culture.
Mission
To capture the imaginations of young and old with the spirit of innovation, problem solving and design demonstrated through the dynamic story of the machines and people that form the foundation and future of the manufacturing industry in America.
Share a Story
Whose story do you want to share in The Manufacturing Ledger?
- A Family Member
- A Mentor
- A Colleague
- A Teacher
- An Employee
- Your Own
Make a Difference
Your contribution supports the American Precision Museum’s mission of educating and inspiring new generations to design, innovate, and problem-solve in the machine tool and manufacturing industries, while preserving the National Landmark 1846 Robbins & Lawrence Armory and historic machine tool collection.
Visit the American Precision Museum
Based in Vermont’s Precision Valley, the American Precision Museum houses one of the nation's largest historically significant collections of machine tools
History
For over 170 years, the men and women of Windsor’s Robbins & Lawrence Armory shaped America’s destiny by pioneering technological innovation, improving manufacturing processes, and increasing the use of labor-saving machines.
Using precision metal and wood cutting machines and high standards of accuracy, Robbins & Lawrence proved the effectiveness of developing and producing interchangeable parts that ultimately, would be known as the “American System.”
Housed in the original Robbins & Lawrence Armory since 1966 and designated a National Historic Landmark, APM holds the largest collection of historically-significant machine tools in the nation. The museum seeks to:
- Preserve the heritage of the mechanical arts
- Celebrate the ingenuity of our mechanical forebears
- Explore the effects of their work on our everyday lives
Across America, a powerful machine tool industry developed, flourishing especially in New England and the northern Midwest. Today, even in the age of plastics and microprocessors, the concept of precision manufacturing provides the foundation for modern industry around the world.