C.W. Parker Carousel Museum, Carousel museum in Leavenworth, United States

The C.W. Parker Carousel Museum is a museum in Leavenworth that displays a collection of historic carousels, hand-carved wooden animals, and mechanical devices. The collection spans different periods of American history and shows how these popular rides developed over time.

Charles Wallace Parker built his first Carry-Us-All ride in 1898; the success of that invention moved his growing company from Abilene, Kansas, to Leavenworth. The museum itself opened in 2005 and is sponsored by the Leavenworth Historical Museum Association. Its 1913 Carousel is the 118th Carry-Us-All produced, and its wooden horses, many close to a century old, were re-carved by hand with the same primitive tools and wooden dowels used originally.

The museum shows how carousels became central to American entertainment and how craftspeople created these rides with remarkable skill from wood and metal. The displayed animals and mechanisms tell the story of a time when such pieces were essential attractions at fairs and amusement grounds.

The museum sits on the eastern side of downtown Leavenworth, with the Missouri River just to the east. The 1913 carousel is operational and open to riders of all ages, while the primitive carousel is too old to run; volunteers will demonstrate its hand-turned mechanism if asked. The Liberty Carousel stands in a separate room.

The 1913 carousel is the 118th Carry-Us-All built by C.W. Parker's company. Its wooden horses were re-carved by hand with the same primitive tools used originally, and each is joined with wooden dowels instead of nails. The ride turns faster than modern carousels.