The world’s 10 wackiest museums you have to visit

Karen GEORGE 17 Jun 2015 updated the 6 October 2015 à 23:02

1/10
The Museum of Bad Art, Boston
The Louvre is so passe. Why marvel at the works of Raphael, Picasso and Monet when you can gawk instead at the works of artists that are so hideous you won’t find them displayed in any respectable art gallery. The aptly named Museum of Bad Art in Boston is the only museum dedicated to the exhibition and celebration of bad art in all its unpretentious glory. Some prominent examples of its collection include ‘Sunday on the Pot with George’, ‘Lucy in the Field with Flowers’ and ‘Juggling Dog in Hula Skirt’.
Photo: Facebook/The Museum of Bad Art
2/10
Icelandic Phallological Museum, Iceland
The Land of Ice and Fire is home to volcanoes, glaciers, fjords, mountains and… the world’s first and only museum dedicated to the male member. Established in 1997, the Icelandic Phallological Museum has the largest display of penile parts with its collection of 280 specimens from 93 species of animals including whales, seals and land mammals. Hard to believe then that the first human penis to join the collection only arrived in July 2011.
Photo: Icelandic Phallological Museum
3/10
International Clown Hall of Fame, Wisconsin, USA
Clowns have entertained and terrified children and adults alike throughout history and this museum is dedicated to the preservation and advancement of clown art and achievement. Represented by professional and amateur clown associations, it pays tribute to outstanding clown performers with special clowning events and a national archive full of clown artefacts.
Photo: Facebook/International Clown Hall of Fame
4/10
Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum, Osaka, Japan
As you can probably guess from the name, this museum is all about instant ramen noodles. Established to honour the creator of the instant ramen noodle, Momofuku Ando, the museum even has an instant ramen workshop where visitors can make their own instant noodles. A definite must visit for anyone who’s had to subsist on the fast food at some point in their lives.
Photo: Japan Guide
5/10
Gelato Museum Carpigiani, Italy
Don’t visit The Gelato Museum in Bologna on an empty stomach or the tantalizing displays and pictures will make you scream for ice cream (the Italian version). Here, you’ll be able to find out everything you ever wanted to know about the creamy Italian treat. Discover the history of gelato throughout the ages and the secrets to making a delicious batch. When you’re done, there’s a strategically located gelato shop right outside the museum, ready to satiate your sweet gelato cravings.
Photo: Facebook/Gelato Museum Carpigiani
6/10
Salt and Pepper Shaker Museum, Tennesse, USA
Just when you think museums can’t get any more bizarre, you find out there’s a museum in Tennesse dedicated solely to salt and pepper shakers, aptly named The Salt and Pepper Shaker Museum. Proudly proclaiming themselves as the world’s only museum dedicated to the condiment holders, visitors who drop by can expect to see over 20 000 sets of salt and pepper shakers from around the world and the largest pepper mill collection ever. While there you can find out life’s most important questions like: Which shaker has the most or least amount of holes?
Photo: Salt and Pepper Shaker Museum
7/10
The Torture Museum, Netherlands
If your cultural tastes veer toward the morbid, Amsterdam’s Torture Museum is here to give you the chills. The museum introduces the public to a long history of human cruelty, featuring more than a 100 torture devices that will have your hair standing throughout the tour. Highlights include the inquisition chair, hanging cages, heretic forks and guillotines. Definitely not something to bring the kids to!
Photo: The Torture Museum
8/10
The Museum of Broken Relationships, Zagreb, Croatia
Suffering from a broken heart? Well you’re not the only one as the Museum of Broken Relationships in Croatia will have you know. Created by artists Olinka Vistica and Drazen Grubisic, the museum showcases personal objects left over from failed relationships and ex-lovers. The curators believe that sharing in the collective misery of relationships gone wrong helps one heal the emotional scars and get over a breakup much quicker. So if you’ve just had your heart broken, you might want to consider contributing leftover debris from the relationship to the museum which accepts donations worldwide.
Photo: The Museum of Broken Relationships
9/10
Museum of Enduring Beauty, Malacca, Malaysia
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and can differ depending on geographical location and era. This is what the Museum of Enduring Beauty intends to showcase with their exhibitions on foot binding, lip disking, and neck elongation. The contrast with today’s standards of aesthetics will show us that beauty is subjective and constantly evolving.
Photo: Shutterstock
10/10
The Giant Shoe Museum, Seattle, USA
Remember the Old Mother Hubbard nursery rhyme? Well it looks like you might find her shoe house in The Giant Shoe Museum. Designed and built in 1997 by local sign artist Sven Sundbaum, The Giant Shoe Museum opened based on the giant shoe collection of one Danny Eskenazi who became fascinated with collecting colossal shoes. To see the collection, visitors must drop quarters into coin boxes and then look through stereoscope viewing slots that reveal views of a variety of giant shoes including a size 37 shoe worn by the world’s tallest man, a real clown shoe and the world’s largest collection of giant shoes.
Photo: The Giant Shoe Museum

Bypass the orthodox museum exhibitions and check out these alternative spaces that are as wacky as they are entertaining.

Somehow, regardless of which part of the world you’re in, a trip to the museum will alway feature high on your list of things to do. Afterall, museums are known to be hubs of culture, art, history and science.

Essentially, the remarkable spaces provide a timeline for humanity and reflect mankind’s growth in scientific discoveries. Even if you’re not into culture and exhibitions, there’s no denying the lure of museums like the Louvre, the Natural History Museum and the Smithsonian Institution.

However, not all museums are created equal. If you’re ready to take the road less travelled, there are some pretty unconventional museums that will blow your socks off with their wackiness and will also make for interesting conversation fodder when you get back.

In our gallery, we’ve compiled 10 of the weirdest museums in the world that should certainly make your bucket list if you’re looking for a less conventional cultural itinerary.

Have you been to any yet?

Karen George

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The world’s 10 wackiest museums you have to visit

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