Museums can be especially exhausting when traveling. Spending several hours in the Metropolitan Museum of Art or Louvre hardly makes a dent in seeing all that’s on display. It can leave you feeling weary and overwhelmed.
You can’t skip the classics — but why not give yourself a break and try a museum that’s more manageable? A stop at a smaller, quirkier museum is a wonderful opportunity to get away from large crowds, endless lines and high-ticket prices while learning about compellingly strange, niche topics. Little museums specialize instead of generalize, allowing you to learn a tremendous amount about a very specific subject.
Here are 30 bizarre museums from around the world where you can enjoy underwater art, ponder the development of toilets and sewers, or learn everything you’ve ever wanted to know about pencils.
30. Museum of Bad Art
No doubt about it: The art at this museum is truly very bad. Museum of Bad Art
Year Opened: 1994
Country: United States
The slogan of this museum in a Boston, Massachusetts, suburb says it all: “Art so bad it can’t be ignored.”
This is a small museum with a strong presence, dedicated to displaying 40 to 50 truly remarkably bad artworks at a time. The tongue-in-cheek explanations about how the pieces came to be, and why they’re so terrible, are well worth the $5 price of admission. Get ready to view paintings depicting people with neon-colored faces, landscapes colored in puke-green hues and...Jesus hanging out with an organist?
Oh, and be sure to check out the museum’s Nudes selection. Warning: This art can’t be unseen.
29. Cup Noodles Museum
At this interactive food museum, you can learn how to make your own version of a college staple. Cup Noodles Museum
Year Opened: 1999
Country: Japan
This museum in Osaka celebrates the beloved cuisine of dorm rooms everywhere. Owned by parent company Nissin Foods, it heralds Momofuku Ando and his greatest invention, instant noodles — not to mention his follow-up, Cup Noodles, which allowed instant noodles to become a global favorite.
In the museum, there’s a factory where you can make your own instant noodles, a selfie-ready “tunnel of noodles” lined with packages from all over the world, and — most importantly — a tasting room.
28. Cancun Underwater Museum of Art
The Underwater Museum of Art is part artistic achievement, part natural marvel. Cancún Underwater Museum of Art
Year Opened: 2009
Country: Mexico
The Cancun-Isla Mujures Marine Park is the setting for this memorable museum, best seen via snorkeling, diving or glass-bottomed boat — all its art is on the ocean floor.
The museum blends artistic expression and environmental science; 500 sculptures are fixed to the seabed and contain special materials to sustain a living coral reef. Several artists created the provocative life-sized works, easy to appreciate from just above or in the water.
27. Museum of Neon Art
The iconic "Friends" neon sign is on display at this very niche museum. Museum of Neon Art / Facebook
Year Opened: 1981
Country: United States
The vivid colors of neon signs glow in the windows of this Glendale, California, museum, where neon and electric work is considered from both an artistic and a scientific perspective. You’ll learn about how neon was developed and why it works, then have the opportunity to see dozens of applications of the technology in vintage and modern art. Signs for clubs and diners blink from every corner of the building.
Join the museum for a “neon cruise” on Saturday nights — a bus tour to see some of Los Angeles’ most memorable signage.
26. Sulabh International Museum of Toilets
A little gross? Sure. But this museum is also legitimately informative. clicksandmore / Instagram
Year Opened: 1992
Country: India
This museum in New Dehli may seem like nothing more than an opportunity for a selfie by the entrance sign, but in fact, it provides a fascinating opportunity to consider a technology all of us are very grateful exists.
It’s surprisingly intriguing to learn about how toilets have changed from medieval times to the present. As the exhibits here make clear, toilets bring dignity and privacy to people all over the world.
Don't miss the museum's collection of toilet-related cartoons and jokes. We won't judge if you laugh.
25. Vent Haven Ventriloquist Museum
Are the exhibits at this museum creepy or cool? You decide. Vent Haven Ventriloquist Museum
Year Opened: 1973
Country: United States
In Fort Mitchell, Kentucky, the world’s only museum dedicated to ventriloquism showcases dozens of dummies. Whether you find the displays of slack-jawed dolls waiting to be given a voice intriguing, a little terrifying, or both, you’ll want to schedule a tour (the only way to see the exhibits) to learn more about this classic American art.
Make sure to schedule your visit between May and September; the museum is otherwise closed.
24. British Lawnmower Museum
jeff.wilton1 / Facebook
Year Opened: 1992
Country: England
If you're a home and garden fanatic, the British Lawnmower Museum in Merseyside has 300 machines used to manicure lawns dating back to 1799.
The museum features all types of vintage lawnmowers and other antique garden machinery from all over the world. There's even a "Lawnmowers of the Rich and Famous" exhibit which includes pieces from the royal family and Queen guitarist Brian May, among others.
23. Museum of Broken Relationships
Intimate objects and stories make this museum a heartbreaker. Museum of Broken Relationships
Year Opened: 2006
Country: United States and Croatia
As this museum makes clear, broken hearts are universal. Crowd-sourced exhibits explore the complex way we “love and lose,” with stories attached to items like used shirts and dolls. If you feel so compelled, you can even send in your own object and story about an ended relationship.
The museum, which boasts permanent outposts in Los Angeles, California, and Zagreb, Croatia, is an ideal place for sparking emotional conversations with your travel companions.
22. Paris Sewer Museum
The Paris Sewer Museum is an interactive experience through the city's underground. Paris Sewer Museum / Instagram
Year Opened: 1889
Country: France
A good companion to the Museum of Toilets, this museum provides an opportunity to tour an actual sewer pipe below the 7th Arrondissement, not far from the Eiffel Tower.
Paris’s sewer system, so memorably part of the plot of “Les Miserables,” is truly a wonder, built in 1850 to prevent the spread of disease from improperly handled waste. It’s a system of tunnels that mirrors the streets above. You may or may not hum “I Dreamed a Dream” while you explore.
21. International Cryptozoology Museum
A model of the tatzelwurm, a lizard-like creature from Alpine folklore, is on display at the International Cryptozoology Museum. International Cryptozoology Museum
Year Opened: 2003
Country: United States
Big fan of Bigfoot? Interested in Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster? This museum in Portland, Maine, is for you.
Cryptozoology is the study of “hidden or unknown” animals, which means you’ll find in-depth exhibits about real, if obscure, creatures, as well as animals we probably just wish were real. The tone of the museum is respectful and curious, interested in the possibilities of life forms beyond what we know already.
An exhibit on the coelacanth, a type of fish so rare that only two extant species exist, is worth as much time as the deep dive into Yeti lore.
20. American Visionary Art Museum
Even the exterior of The American Visionary Art Museum is a strange wonder to behold. George Krauss / flickr
Year Opened: 1989
Country: United States
Artists whose works are featured in this museum near Federal Hill in Baltimore, Maryland, are self-taught and deeply intuitive, often working with found materials like gum wrappers and tin cans. Most of the artists here lacked formal training, so the museum has a delightfully homemade feel; you might even be inspired to start creating an artwork in your basement when you get home.
In the permanent collection, you’ll see works by artists as well-known as the Rev. Howard Finster, an outsider whose work graced the covers of albums by R.E.M. and the Talking Heads. But the real delight is viewing a piece by a little-known artist that you find beautiful, comic, haunting or terrifying, sometimes all at once.
Enjoy the chance to marvel at the spirit that drives artists to create, often without any sort of acknowledgement or praise.
19. Bayernhof Museum
If you've ever wanted to explore obscure musical instruments in a converted mansion, Bayernhof is for you. Visit Pittsburgh
Year Opened: 1982
Country: United States
Suburban Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is home to this mansion-turned-museum, which houses the world’s largest collection of music boxes and other automated musical machines. Tours must be scheduled in order to see the collection here, featuring contraptions like historic player pianos and automated organs.
The museum is worth the price of admission just to see the man-made cave on the home’s bottom floor. Visits conclude with an opportunity to hear from a selection of the automated players on display.
18. Volcano Museum of Iceland
A real home that was engulfed by lava is a must-see at the Volcano Museum. SEGD
Year Opened: 2014
Country: Iceland
West Iceland is widely agreed to be one of the most beautiful areas on Earth, and at this museum, the volcano that helped to shape it into existence are celebrated. Geologists are often on site to explain how volcanoes impact their surrounding landscape. You’ll also be able to appreciate a wide selection of art about volcanoes, from primitive folk pieces to works by Andy Warhol.
The showstopping exhibit, though, is a real Icelandic cottage nearly destroyed by lava, but preserved by the ash that enveloped it.
While you’re in the area, you might also want to check out the nearby Library of Water, a stunning repository of water samples from around the world.
17. Derwent Pencil Museum
The Derwent Pencil Museum is home to, naturally, a giant pencil sculpture. TripAdvisor
Year Opened: 1981
Country: England
Much like sewers and toilets, pencils seem so ordinary to us that we forget they once did not exist. At this museum in Cumbria, England, you enter through a replica graphite mine, a reminder that pencils had to be invented, then laboriously made from hard-to-find materials.
Along with the history of the pencil’s development, you’ll learn about how pencils have influenced human history, including how maps were hidden in pencils during World War II.
16. European Bread Museum
The European Bread Museum is perfect for those with a hunger to learn. European Bread Museum
Year Opened: 2014
Country: Germany
This museum in Ulm covers an astounding 8,000 years of bread-making history, telling the winding tale of how bread developed into one of our most stalwart foodstuffs.
You can also enjoy exhibits about bread in art or tour two historic mills, as well as gardens growing herbs and grains. You’ll leave with a greater appreciation for why we call bread the staff of life...as well as the desire to consume an entire loaf by yourself.
15. Dog Collar Museum
londontowntours.london / Facebook
Year Opened: 1977
Country: England
Dog lovers from all over the world travel to Kent each year to view this massive collection of canine neckwear that dates back to the late 15th century and spans to the present day.
A Spanish iron herd mastiff’s collar, one of the oldest in the collection, was worn to protect dogs against larger prey, including wolves and bears. Other collars on display include a 16th-century iron collar with spikes from Germany and ornate Baroque period collars. This unusual peek into the past through the eyes of a canine is fun and informative for the whole family.
14. Spam Museum
SPAMMuseumMN / Facebook
Year Opened: 1991
Country: United States
Whether it's “Special Processed American Meat,” “Spiced Ham” or “Shoulder of Pork and Ham,” people love this spicy mystery meat so much that there's a museum fully devoted to it in Austin, Minnesota.
Food giant Hormel initially opened a company museum in a local mall that featured all the company's products, but SPAM is what people wanted to experience, so it became solely focused on just that. "SPAMbassadors" guide visitors through the meat’s history and give out samples to visitors on pretzel sticks. Monty Python even has a place here — their comedy routine, "SPAM," plays on a loop.
13. Mütter Museum
muttermuseum / Facebook
Year Opened: 1858
Country: United States
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania’s Mütter Museum is filled with human curiosities and vintage medical instruments, but it is not meant to be gratuitous or exploitive. Dr. Thomas Dent Mütter started the museum to educate the general population on people the world called "monsters" in an attempt to humanize those with medical oddities and ailments.
The Mütter Museum features preserved organs, deformed infants and a tumor from President Grover Cleveland's jaw, a skull collection and the Mütter American Giant, the tallest human skeleton (at 7 feet 6 inches) in North America.
12. National Museum of Funeral History
National Museum of Funeral History / Facebook
Year Opened: 1992
Country: United States
Death is something everyone will experience at one time or another, and the National Museum of Funeral History in Houston, Texas, exists to break the taboo surrounding it. It features a large collection of funeral memorabilia and traces the rituals and traditions surrounding funeral services.
Artifacts from the funerals of famous people, such as Michael Jackson and President John F. Kennedy, are also on display, as are modes of funeral transportation, including horse-drawn wagons and hearses from the 20th century.
11. Museum of the Weird
museumoftheweird / Facebook
Year Opened: 2007
Country: United States
No list about bizarre museums would be complete without the Museum of the Weird. Located in Austin, Texas, it's reminiscent of dime store museums that were popular in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
The museum features mermaids, mummies, wax figures, unusual animals and something called the “the Minnesota Iceman.” There is even a live sideshow performance with rotating performers, including John T. Rex, who holds a live wire in his bare hands. Tips for performers are welcome.
10. Salt and Pepper Shaker Museum
SPMuseum / Facebook
Year Opened: 2002
Country: United States
For people who collect salt and pepper shakers, this museum in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, has 20,000 sets of them from across the globe. To “top things off,” there is also a sizable pepper mill collection.
This fun, kitschy museum is also educational. Visitors will learn how people over the centuries seasoned their food (some shakers date back to the 16th century.) There’s even a gift shop with replica shakers, just in case you want to start your own collection
9. The Torture Museum
CLI / Wikipedia
Year Opened: Unknown
Country: Netherlands
Torture is as old as humanity itself, and this museum in Amsterdam takes you through history with its display of devices. It features all types of devices meant to inflict pain from the Guillotine to stocks, thumb screws and an iron maiden, among others.
Some devices are original (which means they were probably used at some point), while others are reconstructions from old texts. While not for the faint of heart, the Torture Museum is fascinating from a historical perspective.
8. The Barbed Wire Museum
KansasBarbedWire / Facebook
Year Opened: 1970
Country: United States
If antique fencing is your passion, look no further than the Barbed Wire Museum in LaCrosse, Kansas, which is devoted to the creation and history of the “Devil’s Rope.” The museum features 2,400 barbed wire varieties manufactured between the years 1870 and 1890 that defined how settlers divided their property as they headed west.
The museum’s Lee & Ruby Shank Theatre shows videos about how barbed wire was developed. Should you wish to take souvenirs home, you can find them at the adjoining Betty Storm Memorial Gift Shop.
7. Museum of Death
museumofdeathofficial / Facebook
Year Opened: 1995
Country: United States
Another museum devoted to death is located in Hollywood, California, but this one is definitely not for the squeamish. The museum features a serial killer section that has letters and artwork from notorious figures like Charles Manson and John Wayne Gacy, the original beds from the Heaven's Gate mass suicide and a suicide machine built by Jack Kevorkian, among other fairly graphic artifacts.
The museum holds a variety of events, including a Black Dahlia (pre- and post-death) look-alike contest. Strangely enough, it is also known to be a popular date-night destination.
6. International Clown Hall of Fame and Research Center
International-Clown-Hall-of-Fame-and-Research-Center-340312940051 / Facebook
Year Opened: 1987
Country: United States
Clowns aren’t for everyone, but you can’t deny their integral part in entertainment and circus history. This museum in Baraboo, Wisconsin is dedicated to the preservation of the art of being a clown and the achievements of some of the greatest clown entertainers in history.
The museum, which is an homage to outstanding clowns of all shapes and sizes, has resident clown performers, is home to many special events, and inducts the best and brightest clowns around a Hall of Fame ceremony each year.
5. National Mustard Museum
greg.kelly.1675 / Facebook
Year Opened: 1986
Country: United States
Mustard lovers, unite! The National Mustard Museum in Middleton, Wisconsin, has more than 5,624 mustard flavors on display. Sweet hot, fruit, hot pepper, horseradish and even spirit mustard are part of this collection, which has mustards from nearly every country around the world.
The museum that put mustard on the map also hosts an annual mustard festival in Middleton. You can even bring mustard home from the museum gift shop and try free samples on-site. Don’t forget the hot dogs!
4. Idaho Potato Museum
idahopotatomuseum / Facebook
Year Opened: 1988
Country: United States
Idaho is a state known for its potatoes and Blackfoot, Idaho, celebrates them in this quirky museum dedicated to the delicious spud. The history of the potato is featured (with 1,600-year-old potato storage containers included), and there’s a Hall of Fame recognizing decades of contributions and milestones in the potato industry.
The museum also houses the world's largest potato chip, a gift shop and the Potato Station Café, which serves all kinds of potato delicacies from french fries to baked potatoes and chocolate-covered potato chips.
3. National Poo Museum
poomuseum / Facebook
Year Opened: 2016
Country: England
Just like the museums of Death and Funeral History, the National Poo Museum hopes to educate and break the taboos surrounding this natural act. The museum has animal and human poo on display in resin spheres, and visitors can interact with it by holding it. (Don’t worry, it’s not messy.)
The museum hopes to educate people about biology and sanitation and hopes to eventually receive donations from celebrities.
2. Beijing Tap Water Museum
jin.shang.9 / Facebook
Year Opened: 1908
Country: China
We, and the world, are made of water, so why not have a museum dedicated to it? Located on the property of the Beijing City Water Supply Company, the museum is dedicated to the history of Beijing's tap water through pictures and exhibits. These include water sources through tunnels, steam engines and stone wells.
The exhibition is a German-designed pump house on the property. There is also a tour guide that does speak some English, but it is said to be limited.
1. The Museum of Jurassic Technology
HiddenLA / Facebook
Year Opened: 1988
Country: United States
The Museum of Jurassic Technology in Culver City, California, almost defies explanation. Part art gallery, part museum, it features a variety of exhibits that are part curiosity and part modern science, but no one really knows if they’re all real, or parodying what a museum should be. (Maybe the name of the museum is a clue — the Jurassic period didn't have technology.)
Nevertheless, the exhibits are wildly unusual and include “The Garden of Eden on Wheels: Collections from Los Angeles Area Trailer Parks” and the "Unique World of Micro-miniatures of Hagop Sandaldjian," which are indeed tiny sculptures on pieces of rice, human hair and within the eye of a needle.