The World's Largest Kaleidoscope: A Photo Tour

I confess: I was lying down on the job the other day. There's no better way to experience--and photograph--the captivating procession of colorful patterns inside the World's Largest Kaleidoscope than to lie on your back and gaze up!

Crowds surge in the summer, but on an April Friday afternoon in 2010, my dad, daughter and I had the World's Largest Kaleidoscope to ourselves, so we "oohed" as we watched two 10-minute shows, enthralled by the visual convergence of chaos and symmetry inside this towering tube.

A Guinness World Record-holding, multisensory attraction, the World's Largest Kaleidoscope in Mount Tremper, New York, operates year-round and is remarkably affordable for families: $5 per show, children under 12 are free. And, after the show, it's equally fun to view the diverse kaleidoscopes for sale in the Kaleidostore.

In these photos, I'll take you inside the World's Largest Kaleidoscope, share tips for visiting and show you the world's smallest kaleidoscope, too.