The world is full of shiny museums brimming with art from renowned artists and ancient artifacts that instill a sense of awe. Those are great—and you should definitely add them to your bucket list—but also make sure to leave room for the weird ones. We’re talking utterly bizarre museums dedicated to obscure topics that ignite a different sort of wonder. Not sure where to start? These are arguably the 10 weirdest museums in the U.S.
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The 10 Weirdest Museums in the U.S.
1. Neon Museum - Las Vegas, Nevada
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If you’re keen on learning more about glowing, illustrious neon, you absolutely must drop by the Neon Museum in Las Vegas. Not only does the museum offer a robust history on the evolution of neon sign design and technology, but it's full of amazing photo opps and impressive old signs to gawk over. It’s a massive estate at over 2.6 acres, so prepare to spend a solid morning or afternoon exploring the campus.
2. Roswell UFO Museum - Roswell, New Mexico
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Established in 1991, the Roswell UFO Museum has been around since the height of alien and UFO sightings. And for those following the UFO news circuit (or should we say UAP?), you know the discussions about extraterrestrial life have only become more intense in recent years. A visit to Roswell’s UFO Museum will fill you in on some conspiracy theories and help satisfy any curiosity on the topic. And why Roswell, you ask? That’s where an unidentified flying object crashed on a ranch in July 1947.
3. SPAM Museum - Austin, Minnesota
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That jiggly, salty meat that’s housed in a can? Yeah, on of the weirdest museums in the U.S. is completely dedicated to it, and it’s remarkably impressive. A whopping 14,000 square feet, the Spam Museum features the “world's largest collection of spiced pork artifacts,” has a Spam themed playground, a simulation of how Spam’s made, and historic information on its origins and close ties with the military.
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4. Museum of Bad Art - Boston, Massachusetts
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Wandering through a maze of fine art by the greats can be soul satisfying, but sometimes you crave something a bit less introspective. Cue the Museum of Bad Art, which as its name implies is dedicated to the worst of the worst. We’re talking paintings that’ll elicit belly laughs and statues that make you wonder, “What were they thinking?”
5. Kazoo Museum - Beaufort, South Carolina
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Even though it’s not as fancy as, say, a violin or a grand piano, the noisy kazoo has still cemented itself into the lexicon of musical instruments. It only makes sense there’s an entire museum dedicated to its existence so others can share in the joy of this merry music maker. At the Kazoo Museum, you’ll learn how kazoos are made from start to finish, and you can even build your very own to take home.
6. Museum of The Weird - Austin, Texas
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Speaking of things that’ll make you scratch your head, the Museum of the Weird is chock full of oddities. Think shrunken heads and mummies, paranormal findings, and other "freaks of nature." Perhaps its biggest draw is the frozen iceman. It’s definitely one of those attractions that helps Austin maintain its "keep it weird" persona.
7. Coral Castle Museum - Miami, Florida
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Edward Leedskalnin, erector of the Coral Castle, was a bizarre man in and of himself. He was barely five foot tall and weighed around 100 pounds, but somehow managed to build a castle made of heavy oolite coral sans fancy modern machinery or helpers. It took him nearly three decades, but it was done. The Coral Castle Museum is the castle itself, and visitors can also peruse some of the other statues and structures he built that are located on the campus. In total, it’s believed he handled over three million pounds of oolite coral.
8. The International Cryptozoology Museum - Portland, Maine
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Calling all conspiracy enthusiasts. Portland’s Crypto Zoology Museum is dedicated entirely to study of storied legends, including the Loch Ness Monster, Yeti, and Bigfoot. You'll also get to peep Freaky Links’ pterodactyl, a lifesize bronze of a Thylacine, and its crowd-drawing fiberglass coelacanth from Fantastic Fish. More pieces are added everyday.
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9. Mütter Museum - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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If your interests are more grounded in the science-backed natural world, perhaps a visit to the Mütter Museum will spark your fancy. Established in 1863 by college fellow Dr. Thomas Dent Mütter, it boasts an impressive and carefully curated display of anatomical specimens such as skeletons, slides of Albert Einstein's brain, and photographs and models of medical anomalies. Its goal is to help visitors better understand and appreciate the magnificence of the human body.
10. Voodoo Museum - New Orleans, Louisiana
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New Orleans is known for many things, not limited to its tasty cajun creole, jazz music, and raucous Mardis Gras celebrations. The city also has a long and storied past ripe with mysticism, and the Voodoo Museum leans into that history while also celebrating the city’s spirit. Visitors can learn all about New Orleans folklore, secrets of the past, and the Voodoo culture it’s famous for. The museum also provides tours of the nearby St. Louis Cemetery, which is where you’ll find the tomb of Marie Laveau.
