A newly-launched institution in California showcases inventions that never took off; here’s looking at other such quirky places
Traditionally, museums are meant to showcase objects of historical, scientific, artistic and cultural interests. However, there are those that stand apart due to their quirkiness. These museums don’t walk the straight line; instead, they focus on various out-of-the-box factors like showcasing our failures, celebrating art that’s really bad, exploring sexuality, and splitting hair over the evolution of toilets. Here’s looking at the myriad of wacky attractions that continue to grab eyeballs for their quirky collections.
MUSEUM OF FAILURE
CALIFORNIA, USA
This Swedish museum embarked on a world tour stopping over at A+DMuseum in Los Angeles and setting up a permanent base in Hollywood and Highland in the heart of Hollywood on March 8. Opened by psychologist and innovation researcher Dr Samuel West, the museum showcases inventions that never really took off. These include a green-coloured ketchup bottle, Apple’s Newton Messagepad that had poor handwriting, but could take notes and send faxes and even a Rejuvenique Electric Facial Mask, a Jason Voorhees-style invention that promises in just 90 days to make you as beautiful as Linda Evans from Dynasty.
MUSEUM OF BAD ART
MASSACHUSETTS, USA
Chef Gusteau’s famous motto, “Anyone can cook,” from the Disney/Pixar film, Ratatouille can easily be modified to, “Anyone can create art”. At least that seems to be the vision of this museum, which is dedicated to preserving and showcasing bad art in all its glory. Exhibits include Charlie and Sheba, an artwork of a Chipmunk called Charlie who is fed up of Sheba the Sheepdog’s incessant barking and has used a band-aid to tape Sheba’s mouth shut before posing with her on the picnic table and Winged pixie that depicts a dancing pixie high on energy, among other such works in Somerville, Massachusetts.
ICELANDIC PHALLOLOGICAL MUSEUM
REYKJAVIK, ICELAND
If you have not guessed it already, this museum is dedicated to penile parts and has around 215 penises of both land and sea mammals on display including a section for whale penises.
SULABH INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM OF TOILETS
DELHI, INDIA
The capital of India has a wacky museum that showcases the evolution of toilets. Take a walk back in time, tracing history through the sanitation path. From chamber pots to elaborate Victorian toilet seats and even a toilet disguised as a bookcase. It’s 4,500 years of history right in those toilet bowls that give you a peek into the past.
AVANOS HAIR MUSEUM
CAPPADOCIA, TURKEY
If you are looking for hair-raising tales or history, this hair museum should definitely be part of your itinerary. Created by a potter named Chez Galip with hair from around 16,000 women that can be viewed in this small dark cave.
THE MUSEUM OF MEDIEVAL TORTURE INSTRUMENTS
AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS
There are horror flick enthusiasts who have a love for the macabre. And this place caters especially to that crowd with a display of more than 100 torture devices from medieval times, which include an iron maiden, skull crusher and even a Judas chair.
MOMOFUKU ANDO INSTANT RAMEN MUSEUM
OSAKA IKEDA, JAPAN
Ramen lovers who simply cannot get enough of the Japanese noodles in a soupy broth, can head here for a history class in the evolution of ramen and even sign up for an instant ramen workshop to enjoy fresh noodles. The place is dedicated to Momofuku Ando, creator of Cup Noodles.
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