For Your Next Trip: 6 Museums That Get a Little Weird

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Your travel itinerary usually consists of three things: shopping, food, and sightseeing. You’ll have hot chocolate with whipped cream at Carette in Paris, take cheesy pictures next to the Eiffel tower, and sell your soul in Chanel. But somewhere between your fifth double espresso and fourth shopping spree, boredom starts creeping up on you. There’s only so much Chanel your bank account can handle. 

If you want to jolt your itinerary back to life, swap the Louvre for the macabre and the bizarre. From underwater galleries to collections dedicated to cryptids and artistic disasters, these six weird museums around the world offer experiences you definitely won’t find in a standard guidebook.

1. The Museum of Bad Art (MOBA)

Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Dedicated to “art too bad to be ignored,” MOBA curates pieces that went horribly wrong. Unlike intent-driven camp or pop art, every piece here was created with total sincerity – it just missed the mark in hilarious ways.

What you’ll see: Awkwardly proportioned portraits, bizarre color choices, and anatomy that defies physics. Its founding piece, Lucy in the Field with Flowers, sets the standard: an elderly woman floating through a field of yellow blooms with mismatched limbs and an unforgettable expression.

2. The Kunstkamera

Saint Petersburg, Russia

Established by Peter the Great in 1714, the Kunstkamera is Russia’s first official public museum, originally created to dispel public superstitions about monstrous deformities. Today, it remains one of the world’s most unsettling cabinets of curiosities.

What you’ll see: Thousands of preserved anatomical specimens, jarred medical oddities, two-headed embryos, preserved skeletal anomalies, and bizarre historical artifacts collected from around the globe. It is equal parts historical science lesson and dark thriller.

3. International Cryptozoology Museum

Bangor, Maine, USA

Cryptozoology is the study of “hidden” animals whose existence remains unproven by science. This museum houses decades of field research, artifacts, and pop-culture lore surrounding the planet’s most elusive legendary creatures.

What you’ll see: Life-sized models of Bigfoot and the Yeti, plaster casts of supposed footprint impressions, hair samples, and hundreds of artifacts dedicated to the Loch Ness Monster, the Jersey Devil, and the Chupacabra.

4. International Clown Hall of Fame & Museum

Baraboo, Wisconsin, USA

Whether you find clowns funny or terrifying (I’m going with the latter), this museum preserves the real history of professional clowning. Located in a town deeply rooted in circus history, it pays homage to classic performance artists like Bozo and Ronald McDonald.

What you’ll see: Authentic clown costumes, vintage props, historic circus posters, and the famous “egg registry” – a collection of painted eggs used to officially copyright each clown’s unique, signature face-paint design.

5. Museum of Death

Los Angeles, California, & New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Not for the faint of heart, the Museum of Death houses the world’s largest collection of serial killer artwork and real-life macabre memorabilia. Designed to educate the public about mortality, it routinely tests the stomach strength of its bravest visitors.

What you’ll see: Crime scene photos, vintage mortuary equipment, original letters and drawings from famous serial killers, body bags, execution devices, and taxidermy oddities.

6. MUSA (Museo Subacuático de Arte)

Cancun & Isla Mujeres, Mexico

To visit this museum, you’ll need to ditch your walking shoes for a pair of flippers or dive gear. Submerged beneath the ocean floor, MUSA features over 500 life-sized sculptures designed to act as artificial reefs for local marine life.

What you’ll see: Sunken crowds of people, a full-sized Volkswagen Beetle, and statues of people sitting at desks – all slowly being covered in living, colorful coral and surrounded by tropical fish.