Normally, when one visits a museum, one expects to see things like great works of art or a collection of things from the past all gathered in one place. There are plenty of museums out there that cater to this more standard of needs. But what about those of us that are looking to get a break from gazing at Picassos or reconstructed sets of dinosaur bones? For the museum tourist with stranger tastes, there plenty of places out there that are dedicated to both enlightening and being different. Today, I’ve gathered up seven examples of some of the oddest museums in the world, though there are plenty more out there if you look for them.
Icelandic PhallologicalMuseum - Reykjavik, Iceland
If you’ve ever felt the need to witness the world’s finest collection of penises and penis parts, then the IcelandicPhallologicalMuseum is the place to be. Animals from all over the world have given of their most intimate bits to provide more than 280 displays. There are creatures such as seals, whales, walruses and dozens of land animals. There is even a place for the more modest nethers of the human being at the museum. The museum contains a full collection of male bits from every Icelandic mammal species, in fact, as well as an extensive collection of tools and art, all related to penises in some way.
Museum of Bad Art - Boston, Massachusetts
Sometimes you just want to take a break from looking at all those masterpieces and world-renowned creations and instead just sit back and gaze upon the worst of the worst. The Museum of Bad Art in Boston is the answer to your needs, with a collection that brings together some of the worst art in the world. Instead of destroying these pieces or burying them safely in a landfill, the museum has decided to put them on display. Members and affiliates of the museum scour the world for the best of the crap and bring it here to show off. The full collection consists of hundreds of different works, though only 50 to 70 are on display at any given time.
Museum of Enduring Beauty - Malacca, Malaysia
The concept of beauty has changed over the ages and even in today’s world the difference from culture to culture and region to region are sometimes drastically different. The Museum of Enduring Beauty presents an historical look at beauty in all its painful forms, from items for the binding of feet, to corsets and stiletto heels, to the details of head molding. First opened in 1996, this display is part of the People’s Museum which houses four separate collections, including one devoted to kites.
Berlin Museum of Medical History - Berlin, Germany
This fine display brings to you a collection of medical oddities spanning 300 years. In addition to tumors, enlarged organs and other internal strangeness, there is also a collection of items relating to the bizarre and horrific practices of German scientists during World War II. This museum presents around 750 displays that give an educational look at the way medicine has been viewed and evolved over the ages. Unfortunately, the collection has been deemed unsuitable for children under the age of 16 unless they are accompanied by an adult.
Glore Psychiatric Museum - St. Joseph, Missouri
Glore Psychiatric Museum, located on the grounds of a famous asylum, offers a look into the darker side of psychiatric care in the United States. These displays present a truly in-depth look at the way care was provided to the mentally ill over the last hundred years or so. Many of these “treatments” were quite abusive by today’s standards, including such tried-and-true methods as lobotomies and intentionally causing patients pain in order to “snap them out of it”. The museum also presents a more hopeful look at psychiatric care, showing how patients and staff lived over the years and even offering a collection of patient artwork.
Celebrity Lingerie Hall of Fame - Los Angeles, California
Located on the famous Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles, in the building of the Frederick’s of Hollywood flagship store, this museum presents a collection of some famous underwear. Stars such as Madonna, Tom Hanks, Cher, Marilyn Monroe and even the rock band KISS all have some of their intimates on display here. This is combined with the more general LingerieMuseum, an educational look at how underwear has changed over time. Best of all, visiting the Celebrity Lingerie Hall of Fame is one-hundred percent free.
Museum of Medieval Torture Instruments - Amsterdam, Netherlands
This Netherlands museum offers up a collection of devices that were used to torture people back in a less civilized time, along with stories of how the instruments were used and why. You can see all the classic medieval torture devices here, from interrogation chairs to thumb screws and cages. Many of these are so brutal that they look like they’ve come right off of a horror movie set. If you want a quick education on why it’s way better to be living in the modern day, check this place out.
SpamMuseum courtesy of Jonathunder via Wikicommons
Iceland whale penis courtesy of adam w via Wikicommons
Bad Art courtesy of Kafka Liz via Wikicommons
Enduring Beauty courtesy of expatior.com
Animal fetuses courtesy of itraveltree.com
GloreMuseum courtesy of itthing.com
Celebrity Lingerie courtesy of filmigallery.com
Torture hook courtesy of tortureamsterdamn.com
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