Beyond the Ordinary: A Global Tour of Museums You Won't Believe Exist
Forget what you know about quiet halls filled with classical paintings and ancient pottery. While those institutions are incredible, there’s a whole other world of museums dedicated to the strange, the specific, and the wonderfully bizarre. You clicked because you were curious about these unusual collections, and you’ve come to the right place.
The Icelandic Phallological Museum: ReykjavĂk, Iceland
Yes, you read that correctly. Located in the heart of Iceland’s capital, this museum is dedicated entirely to the collection and study of penises. It’s a surprisingly scientific and comprehensive institution that aims to demystify a part of anatomy often treated with immaturity. The museum holds the world’s largest display of phallic specimens, with over 200 items from nearly every mammal found in the country.
The collection includes everything from the massive penis of a blue whale, which stands taller than a person, to the minuscule penis bone of a hamster, which requires a magnifying glass to see. You can find specimens from seals, whales, polar bears, and even a few from mythological creatures like elves and trolls, offered in jest. The museum’s mission is to provide a serious, educational look at the field of “phallology,” and it succeeds by presenting its unique subject matter in a clinical and informative way.
The Museum of Bad Art (MOBA): Somerville, Massachusetts, USA
Art is subjective, but the curators at the Museum of Bad Art have a clear mission: to celebrate art that is “too bad to be ignored.” This museum collects, preserves, and exhibits art that has some sincere artistic intent but ultimately fails in a spectacular way. The result is a collection that is hilarious, endearing, and sometimes genuinely unsettling.
Each piece in the collection is a masterpiece of failure. You might see portraits where the anatomy is creatively wrong, landscapes with baffling color choices, or still lifes that defy the laws of physics. One of its most famous pieces, “Lucy in the Field with Flowers,” depicts an elderly woman dancing in a vibrant field under a surreal, multicolored sky. The curators provide witty and insightful commentary for each piece, explaining what makes it so uniquely terrible. MOBA is a refreshing reminder that art doesn’t have to be perfect to be enjoyable.
The Sulabh International Museum of Toilets: New Delhi, India
A museum dedicated to toilets might sound like a joke, but this institution in New Delhi has a serious purpose. It chronicles the entire history of sanitation, from ancient chamber pots to the high-tech toilets of the future. Founded by social reformer Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak, the museum aims to raise awareness about the importance of sanitation and hygiene, a critical issue in many parts of the world.
The exhibits are fascinating. You can see elaborately decorated commodes used by European royalty, simple latrines from ancient civilizations, and clever toilet designs intended for space travel. The museum is divided into three sections: Ancient, Medieval, and Modern. You’ll learn about the sanitation systems of the Harappan Civilization from 2500 BC, see a replica of a toilet disguised as a bookcase, and discover the history behind the invention of the flushing toilet. It’s an eye-opening look at an everyday object we often take for granted.
The Avanos Hair Museum: Avanos, Turkey
Deep in a cave beneath a pottery shop in Cappadocia lies one of the world’s most peculiar and personal collections. The Avanos Hair Museum contains hair samples, names, and addresses from more than 16,000 women from all over the globe. The story goes that a local potter, Chez Galip, was saying goodbye to a dear friend who, before leaving, cut off a lock of her hair for him to remember her by. He hung it in his shop, and as he told the story to visitors, other women began leaving their own locks of hair as well.
Decades later, every available surface of the cave, from the ceiling to the walls, is covered in a dense tapestry of human hair. The effect is both strange and surprisingly beautiful. Visitors are invited to leave their own contribution, making it a living, breathing collection of memories from travelers who have passed through this unique town.
The Museum of Broken Relationships: Zagreb, Croatia & Los Angeles, USA
A testament to love and loss, the Museum of Broken Relationships offers a poignant and deeply human experience. The museum displays personal objects and artifacts from failed relationships, each accompanied by a short, anonymous story from the donor. It’s a crowd-sourced project that explores the complex emotions of heartbreak and recovery.
The items on display are incredibly varied. You might find a wedding dress stuffed into a jar, an axe used to destroy an ex-lover’s furniture, or a simple text message printed and framed. The stories range from tragic to hilarious, but all are raw and authentic. The collection serves as a powerful reminder that heartbreak is a universal experience, and there is a strange comfort in seeing the physical remnants of other people’s emotional journeys. It’s a museum that will make you laugh, cry, and reflect on your own experiences with love.
Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum: Osaka, Japan
For anyone who has ever relied on a cheap and easy cup of noodles, this museum is a must-see. Located in Osaka, the birthplace of instant ramen, this institution is a colorful and interactive tribute to Momofuku Ando, the man who invented the world-changing food. The museum details the entire history of instant noodles, from their humble beginnings as a post-war food solution to their current status as a global culinary staple.
One of the most popular exhibits is the “Instant Noodles Tunnel,” which showcases the staggering variety of ramen packages from around the world. The highlight for most visitors is the My CUPNOODLES Factory, where you can design your own custom cup, choose your own soup base, and select your own toppings to create a one-of-a-kind instant ramen to take home. It’s a fun, quirky, and surprisingly inspiring look at the power of a simple idea.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these museums real? Absolutely. Every museum listed here is a real, operational institution that you can visit. While their subjects are unusual, they are managed with the same care and dedication as any traditional museum.
Why would someone create a museum about such a strange topic? Most of these museums are born from a deep personal passion. Whether it’s a potter who started collecting hair, a doctor passionate about sanitation, or an artist who saw beauty in failure, these collections exist because someone believed a unique story was worth telling. They challenge our idea of what is worthy of being preserved and studied.
Are there other unusual museums out there? Yes, this list is just the beginning. Around the world, you can find museums dedicated to everything from lawnmowers and salt shakers to cryptozoology and medieval torture devices. The world of niche museums is vast and full of surprises.