Adventure Coordinators: August 2015

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

13 Of the strangest museums around the world

The world has some interesting museums. We all know abut the Sex Museum in Amsterdam, or the Spy Museum in Washington. Here then is a round-up of 13 lesser-known but equally fascinating museums.

Museum of waste, Bucharest, Romania
Europe’s first museum of waste is located in the enormous Afi Palace Cotroceni mall. Sponsored by Romania’s Ministry of the Environment, the goal of the museum is to educate the public about recycling. There is a 60 metre walkway illustrating the history of garbage. One fine history it is.
It's American counterpart, the Garbage Museum, was shut down in 2011, presumably as neighbours complained about the smell.

Museum of broken relationships, Zagreb, Croatia
Winner of the Kenneth Hudson Award for the most innovative museum in Europe, the museum tells the stories of terminated relationships through objects left behind by former lovers. Take the "ex-axe" donated by a woman from Berlin who used it to chop her former lover's furniture in frustration after being left for another woman. I am told is was quite the therapeutic experience.

Underwater museum, Cancun, Mexico
Imagine 500 life-size sculptures submerged on the sea bed. They function as an artificial reef designed to relief pressure on the natural reefs in the seas around Cancun. The museum is open to both divers and snorkelers. How deep can a museum sink?

Museo del Objeto del Objeto (the Museum of the Purpose of the Object), Mexico City, Mexico
Another Mexican gem, this museum showcases examples of design in packaging, graphic design and advertising. According to the museum web site, and I love the use of Spenglish, "each of the Objects can be seen as being part of an enormous jigsaw, together forming a wide, diverse and remarkable panorama, made up of fragments of daily life that help us to examine ourselves, in what we are, what we consume, what we remember, and how we make sense of all this in terms of communication."
Indeed.

Iceland Phallological Museum, Husavik, Iceland
According to the museum's curator (whose name is not "Richard"), "phallology is an ancient science which, until recent years, was a borderline field of study in other academic disciplines such as history, art, psychology, literature and other artistic fields like music and ballet. Now, thanks to The Icelandic Phallological Museum, it is finally possible for individuals to undertake serious study into the field of phallology in an organized, scientific fashion. "
I went. It really is just a collection of penises. Freud would be proud.

Momofuku And Instant Ramen Museum, Osaka, Japan
This is a museum dedicated to instant noodles and Cup Noodles, as well as its creator and founder, Momofuku Ando. If you are hungry, this is not the place to go. Check out the museum's web site, it is most interesting.

Sulabh International Toilet Museum, New Delhi, India
According to the museum's web site (and you should read this out-loud with an Indian accent for added effect) "Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak is a great humanist and social reformer of contemporary India. He has the vision of a philosopher and the undying zeal of a missionary. He is the icon of sanitation and social reform who has made a difference in the lives of millions of people. With his efforts erstwhile untouchables have been allowed by the society to intermingle with them and to live at par with them, dine with them and offer prayers in temples. He has created a new culture which embraces the poor and extols the dignity of labour."
No shit.

Museum of Vampires and imaginary monsters, Les Lilas, France
Reservations are required in this small interesting museum, presumably so they can fire up the exhibits and make it really scary.

Museum of Bad Art, Somerville Mass., USA
This is the world's only museum dedicated to the collection, preservation, exhibition and celebration of bad art in all its forms. I would argue with it being the only one in the world. Perhaps it is the only one actually admitting it.

Meguro Parasitological Museum, Tokyo, Japan
The museum's web site implores you to "try to think about parasites without a feeling of fear".
Trying...
Still trying....

The Kansas Barbed Wire Museum, La Crosse, Kansas, USA
If you thought the West was won by guns and gunslingers, think again. Barbed wire did the trick. And it had an impact on history too as it set a precedent in patent law. If you did not know there were over 2400 varieties of barbed wire, saddle up and go.

Museum Of The Holy Souls In Purgatory, Rome, Italy
Located in the back of a church in Rome, this museum holds a collection of bibles, prayer books, tabletops, and articles of clothing said to have been singed by the hands of souls in purgatory.
I have a burning question for the curator which I plan to ask on my next visit.

Museum of Funeral Carriages, Barcelona, Spain
This Funeral Hearse Museum represents the finest in cadaver transportation. Fittingly it is located underground.