By Briana Seftel
Who says museums have to be all Michelangelo and Monet? These eight museums around the world have taken “weird” to a new level. If you fancy a different kind of cultural experience on your travels, check out our picks for the strangest, wackiest yet wonderful museums.
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Sulabh International Museum of Toilets • New Delhi, India
The humble toilet is literally placed on a pedestal at this museum in New Delhi. Operated by Sulabh International, the largest nonprofit in India dedicated to human rights, sanitation and the environment, the museum is a un-crappy glimpse into the world of toilets. Founded by Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak, the museum is a socially conscious yet all together amusing look into how toilets have evolved from 2500 years ago to present day.
Iceland Phallological Museum • Reykjavík, Iceland
If you have one day in Iceland’s capital, perhaps you should consider a visit to the Iceland Phallological Museum, also known as the, er, Penis Museum. Upon entering, you must walk under a 7-foot whale penis to the museum's collection of 215 phallological specimens from different animals found in Iceland. On your way out, don’t miss the gift shop selling keychains, bottle openers and shot glasses that would make your mother blush.
Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum • Osaka, Japan
If you lived on instant ramen during college, then you’ll feel a wave of nostalgia upon entering the Cup of Noodles museum in Osaka. The museum highlights Momofuku Ando, the man who invented the world’s first instant noodles in 1958. Explore the history of instant noodles in the museum’s interactive theater and exhibitions, and walk under a colorful tunnel of instant noodle packaging. You can even learn to make your own ramen by hand in the factory!
Franz Kafka Museum • Prague, Czech Republic
Ponder life’s existential questions at the Franz Kafka Museum, dedicated to Prague’s famous writer. The dark, immersive gallery displays the author’s personal belongings, such as journal entries and photographs, next to "Kafkaesque" settings: file cabinets, piles of coal, and stone gardens. It’s an eerie, spine-tingling experience providing a glimpse into Kafka’s brilliant mind. Don’t miss the famous pissing statue located in the courtyard in front of the museum.
Currywurst Museum • Berlin, Germany
Learn all about Berlin’s beloved street snack at the Currywurst Museum, centrally located near Checkpoint Charlie. This fun and interactive museum takes visitors on a journey from currywurst’s humble beginnings in the late 1940s to its international status as an iconic German snack. Sniff your way through the spice station, relax on the sausage sofa, and taste currywurst in its many forms at the on-site snack shop.
Museum Of Broken Relationships • Zagreb, Croatia
Whether you’re mending a broken heart or happily married, the Museum of Broken Relationships in Croatia's capital will touch your heart in one way or another. Opened by two Croatian artists and friendly exes, the museum displays paraphernalia from failed relationships, donated from people around the world. The popularity of the original museum continues to grow, with a location in Los Angeles and more to come.
Cancun Underwater Museum • Cancun, Mexico
You’ll literally have to dive to see the treasures at this museum in Cancun. Created in an effort to preserve the endangered Mesoamerican Reef, the Underwater Museum is home to over 500 underwater statues resting in the clear waters of the Caribbean. All of the sculptures designed are designed by local artists and made with marine-grade cement that promotes coral growth. Visitors can either scuba dive or snorkel to see the collection of incredible aquatic art.
The Museum of Bad Art • Somerville, Massachusetts
One man’s trash is another man’s...art? At this museum just outside of Boston, everyone can agree that the art on display is truly awful. The museum's curators search dumpsters and thrift stores far and wide to bring visitors exceptionally bad (and intentionally bad) art. There’s something beautiful at failing spectacularly, isn’t there?
