Ten Of The World’s Most Unusual Museums

Published by djmick on October 27th, 2009

1 – The Lunchbox Museum

The Lunchbox Museum

What is it: Just when you think museums could not get more niche, you stumble across a museum like Allen Woodall’s, dedicated exclusively to the intricacies of the metal lunchbox (the “world’s largest” too).
Essential information: Situated in Columbus, Georgia, in the US.

2 – Kansas Barbed Wire Museum

Kansas Barbed Wire Museum

What is it: The only place in the world dedicated to the history of “Devil’s Rope”, which helped to shape the development of America under the pioneers.
Essential information: Located in Lacrosse, Kansas, USA

3 – The Torture Museum

The Torture Museum

What is it: Strictly for the strong of stomach, this museum displays some of the most gruesome methods used to torment people down the ages, from the infamous rack (pictured) to the skull cracker.
Essential information: In Amsterdam’s red-light district.

4 – The Sulabh International Museum of Toilets

The Sulabh International Museum of Toilets

What is it: A collection of artefacts and displays celebrating the inexorable rise of one of the world’s most essential – yet least celebrated – household furnishings, the humble lavatory.
Essential information: Situated in New Delhi, India.

5 – Hair Museum

Hair Museum

What is it: A slightly perturbing collection of hair from more than 16,000 different donors, gathered by a well known Turkish potter.
Essential information: Located in Avanos, Turkey

6 – The Salt and Pepper Shaker Museum

The Salt and Pepper Shaker Museum

What is it: The world’s only place dedicated to the many different forms of the much used condiment containers. This has 20,000 salt and pepper pots from all around the world.
Essential information: On the outskirts of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee.

7 – The Museum of Bad Art

The Museum of Bad Art

What is it: Why should museums be biased towards talented artists, reason the curators of this museum. And so they have attempted to redress the balance with these exhibits (”too bad to ignore”), which are likely to get short shrift elsewhere.
Essential information: Has two branches in Massachusetts, USA.

8 – The Icelandic Phallological Museum

The Icelandic Phallological Museum

What is it: Talk about niche interest – this museum has a display of more than 100 mammal penises, including this giant, which once belonged to an elephant.
Essential information: Located in the Iceland fishing village of Húsavík, where many visitors go to watch whales.

9 – Paris Sewer Museum

Paris Sewer Museum

What is it: Subterranean Paris is criss-crossed by atmospheric catacombs and sewers, the history of which are celebrated in this underground museum.
Essential information: Place de la Résistance, 75007 Paris

10 – Shin Yokohama Noodle Museum

Shin Yokohama Noodle Museum

What is it: Another impossibly niche interest museum, this time dedicated to the wonders of instant noodle soup.
Essential information: Located in Tokyo, the museum opened in 1994.

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