If you thought all museums were stuffy and boring, think again. Across the world, quirky, unusual, and downright bizarre collections entertain and inform guests, proving you can create a museum from just about anything. Here’s our roundup of weird, wacky, and odd museums that are especially suited for a visit this spooky season.
Museum of Icelandic Sorcery and Witchcraft - Hólmavík, Iceland
Visitors to Iceland’s Westfjords region should call in at the Museum of Icelandic Sorcery and Witchcraft in Hólmavík. In the 17th century, witchcraft here was largely practized by men and often involved some gory preparations. The promise of unlimited wealth was said to have been the driving force behind many of their gruesome experiments. The many exhibits make this place worthy of the long journey it takes to get here. Closer to home, learn about the Trials of 1692 which are brought to life at the Salem Witch Museum in Massachusetts.
Musée des Egouts (Sewer Museum) - Paris, France
For many of us, the thought of going down a sewer sends a shiver down our spines. But if you can stomach it, you could discover a city beneath a city as you tour the Paris sewers at the Musée des Egouts. Dating from the 19th century, this subterranean labyrinth of pipes and overflow channels was a marvel of technology and considerably improved the city’s standards of hygiene. Parisians and visitors were first invited to take a look during the 1867 World’s Fair. Fast forward more than 150 years and modern-day visitors enjoy a newly renovated museum that offers the chance to learn about the engineering and technology behind the scenes that keeps the city’s sewers fully operational.
Zak Bagan’s The Haunted Museum - Las Vegas, Nevada
You might recognize Zak Bagan as a presenter of TV programs such as Ghost Adventures. He has been obsessed with the paranormal for most of his life, and this Las Vegas museum showcases his extensive personal collection of haunted objects. They include a staircase acquired from the “Demon House” in Gary, Indiana, where an alleged demonic possession occurred. Another is the Dybbuk Box, a Spanish wine cabinet said by some to be occupied by a malicious soul. Bagan and others also claim to have seen a black-cloaked figure passing through one of the museum’s doors. Is it real or is it an elaborate hoax? You’ll have to head to Nevada if you want to find out for yourself.
The Clink Prison Museum - London, UK
The Clink Prison Museum is located in Bankside in the London borough of Southwark. The pilgrims set sail on the Mayflower from Rotherhithe, just a few miles east of here. The 12th-century stonework that belonged to Winchester Palace is all that remains of what was one of Britain’s most notorious prisons – and one of its oldest. The place burned to the ground in 1780, and its inmates fled, never to be recaptured. The authorities chose not to rebuild but today, a museum has been built in its place that recreates the revolting conditions that those prisoners would have endured. The Clink is renowned for its ghostly sightings and paranormal activity, making this the ideal museum to visit around Halloween if you’re over in the UK capital.
Museum of Curiosities - San Marino
If you’re looking to dial back on the gruesome and ramp up the quirky factor, then you’ll enjoy the Museum of Curiosities, located in the heart of San Marino. It houses an astonishing array of weird and wacky items. Among the many things on display are a pair of platform shoes dating from 1500 used to protect the feet of wealthy Venetian women from the city’s highest tides, 18th-century spectacles that fit under a wig, and a 19th-century cup specially designed to prevent a man’s mustache from getting wet. These oddities are displayed alongside mannequins representing some of the world’s most unusual individuals, such as the person with the world’s longest nails and another with the longest hair. Bizarre but beguiling, it’s a must if you’re in the principality.
Cryptozoology and Paranormal Museum - Littleton, North Carolina
Cryptids are animals whose very existence are disputed — think the yeti, which may (or may not) live in the Himalayas, and Bigfoot (also referred to as Sasquatch), allegedly an inhabitant of North America. Though a little light on irrefutable scientific evidence, the folks at the Cryptozoology and Paranormal Museum in Littleton, North Carolina, are keen to report sightings. A cast of what they believe to be a Bigfoot print found on the ground in Medoc Mountain State Park is on display. The museum also celebrates the paranormal. Visitors should also check out the Ms. Beasley doll; its past owners reported that it moved by itself. In an attempt to uncover whether there’s any truth to the story, the museum has enclosed it in a box so nobody can touch it. You’ll want to inspect it twice, just in case.
