The Strangest Museums You Can Visit In The U.S.

Forget stuffy halls filled with ancient pottery and paintings of people who look perpetually annoyed. Some museums toss tradition out the window to celebrate everything from condiments to corpses. If you’ve ever wanted to admire bad art or learn the history of mustard, you’re in luck. America has a museum for just about anything. Here’s the list.

Museum Of Bad Art

Established in 1994, the Museum of Bad Art (MOBA) in Massachusetts is dedicated to collecting and exhibiting art that is “too bad to be ignored.” With over 700 pieces, MOBA showcases works that might not find a home elsewhere. These artworks highlight the museum’s mission to honor the sincerity of artists.

International Banana Museum

The International Banana Museum has the world’s most extensive collection of banana-related items, earning a Guinness World Record. The museum offers a quirky tribute to this beloved fruit, from banana-shaped telephones to banana-themed salt and pepper shakers. Visitors can also enjoy banana-flavored treats at the museum’s cafe.

National Mustard Museum

Located in Middleton, Wisconsin, the National Mustard Museum houses over 6,000 mustard varieties from all 50 U.S. states and over 70 countries. Established in 1992 by Barry Levenson, the museum showcases mustards ranging from classic yellow to exotic flavors like chocolate mustard. The museum’s annual National Mustard Day celebration attracts condiment enthusiasts.

Spam Museum

The 14,000-square-foot museum features interactive exhibits detailing Spam’s history, its role during World War II, and its global cultural impact. Visitors can participate in cooking demonstrations, sample Spam recipes, and even try canning the product. The museum’s engaging approach has made it a popular destination.

Vent Haven Ventriloquist Museum

Located in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky, the Vent Haven Museum stands as the only museum in the world solely devoted to ventriloquism. With over 900 ventriloquist figures and memorabilia from 20 countries, the museum offers a comprehensive look into this unique performance art. Vent Haven also hosts an annual convention attracting performers and fans alike.

The Salt And Pepper Shaker Museum

The display ranges from elegant to playful shaker designs, showing how artistry and trends shaped their evolution. A section dedicated to pepper mills offers a historical perspective, making this exhibit an engaging exploration of a simple yet fascinating household item.

The Idaho Potato Museum

Located in Blackfoot, Idaho, the Idaho Potato Museum celebrates the state’s most famous crop. Exhibits showcase the history of potato farming, the development of various potato products, and the potato’s significance in global cuisine. Highlights include the world’s largest potato chip and a tribute to the beloved Idaho spud.

The Kazoo Museum

The humble kazoo gets its moment in the spotlight at The Kazoo Museum in Beaufort, South Carolina. Home to one of the world’s largest collections of kazoos, the museum traces the instrument’s origins back to the 1840s and explores its role in American music. Visitors can see and even try to play one.

The Museum Of Death

Crime scene photos, serial killer memorabilia, and chilling historical artifacts fill the Museum of Death. Designed to educate rather than sensationalize, its exhibits challenge visitors to face mortality and question societal taboos. For those drawn to the macabre, it’s an eye-opening and unforgettable experience.

The Neon Museum

Nevada’s Neon Museum, also known as the Neon Boneyard, is dedicated to preserving the city’s iconic neon signs. Its outdoor exhibition space features over 200 signs, some dating back to the 1930s, showcasing the evolution of sign design and technology. The museum’s efforts have been instrumental in conserving a unique aspect of American cultural heritage.

The UFO Museum

At the International UFO Museum and Research Center, exhibits dive into the infamous Roswell crash and broader UFO phenomena. Displaying alleged alien artifacts, firsthand accounts, and official investigations, this space encourages curiosity and debate among believers, skeptics, and researchers alike.

The Bunny Museum

Titled the Guinness World Record for the largest collection of bunny-related items, the Bunny Museum has over 33,000 artifacts. From stuffed toys to kitchenware, the museum showcases the rabbit’s cultural significance across various mediums. Live rabbits also inhabit the museum, adding to its charm.

The Devil’s Rope Museum

In Texas, the Devil’s Rope Museum preserves the rich history and significance of barbed wire. Through intricate displays of wire designs, fencing machines, and historical artifacts, the museum reveals how this innovation played a pivotal role in shaping ranching, warfare, and art.

The Leila’s Hair Museum

A museum entirely dedicated to hair might sound unusual, but Leila’s Hair Museum in Missouri proves just how fascinating this subject can be. It houses thousands of pieces of intricate Victorian hair art, which was a common way to memorialize loved ones in the 19th century.

The Circus World Museum

You should visit the Circus World Museum in Baraboo, where the rich history of the American circus comes to life. This museum owns an impressive collection of historic circus wagons and memorabilia. Visitors can explore exhibits on clowning, animal acts, and the golden age of traveling circuses.