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15 Bizarre Museums From Around the World You Have to Check Out

Insider Guides
by Amelia Hagen Nov 25, 2016

WHEN YOU JET TO A NEW CITY or country, unless you’re in Madrid, London, or Paris, you might not be immediately thinking of museums. ​However, there are countless places that house slightly alternative objects around the world. Get ready to unlock that curiosity of yours to explore a few subjects that make you wonder, “There’s actually a museum for that?!”

Get your sports fix in the US and UK. Learn about a sustainable future for all in Brazil. Visit a museum in Russia that embodies one of its biggest stereotypes. Sit on a sumo toilet and walk under, yes, I said, “under”, a swimming pool in Japan.

We pulled all of these locations from our travelstoke app. Travelstoke is the world’s first social network for travelers, and also works as a pretty sweet crowd-sourced guidebook. Don’t see a museum you think belongs on here? Add it yourself!

The Museum of the Rockies

 Museum of the RockiesBozeman, United StatesPart of Montana State University, one of the largest collections of dinosaur bones in the US! Tons of triceratops and T-Rex skulls along with a full T-Rex skeleton and a bunch of fossilized dinosaur egg clusters. Yellowstone exhibit and planetarium as well. #museums #dinosaurs #montana #history #gallery

Museu do Amanhã

 Museu do AmanhãRio de Janeiro, BrazilAlso known as the Museum of Tomorrow in English. You must buy your tickets online (cost is around 10 Reals). Futuristic museum that opened in December 2015 focusing on innovation, sustainability, and naturally, the future. Will surely be one of the most architecturally stunning museums you’ll ever visit! #museums #mustsee

The London Film Museum — Bond in Motion

 London Film Museum Bond In MotionLondon, United KingdomSuper cool James Bond museum featuring vehicles from many of the 007 movies, including old school cars, jet skis, hovercrafts, etc. Loads of movie memorabilia from the Skyfall and Spectre movies as well. #museums #london #jamesbond #007 #gallery

The Iceland Phallological Museum of Penises

 Icelandic Phallological Museum of PenisesReykjavík, IcelandJust as the name states, it’s a penis museum. See penises from all walks of life plus one from a whale. If you’re so inclined, you can write a letter donating yours to the museum after you pass as many other people have done. Nothing else like this place.

#gallery #history #museums

The Museum of Broken Relationships

 Museum of Broken RelationshipsZagreb, CroatiaAs one page of the visitor’s book that I read said, “For some reason, this museum made me believe in love even more.” So many interesting, heartwarming, and heartwrenching stories and “artifacts” from others’ past relationships. Incredibly unique experience! #museums #lovestories

The TOTO Toilet Museum

 TOTOミュージアムKitakyūshū-shi, JapanMost likely the world’s best and only toilet museum! Opened in August 2015 to celebrate TOTO’s 100th anniversary in 2016. It’s free, open til 5pm, and architecturally speaking, beautiful. Super hi-tech toilets in the bathroom and even chairs that look like toilet seats. You can even sit on a toilet seat specifically made for a sumo wrestler! The gift shop has some cute stuff as well. Staff are so nice – will give you a free umbrella of it’s raining and you don’t have one! #free #museums #toilets #japanese

The Dekoboko Shindo Sex Museum

 Dekoboko Shindo Sex MuseumUwajima-shi, JapanLocated next to a fertility shrine, this is a three-story sex museum that seems to consists of one old man’s collection of sex paraphernalia. Not for the faint of heart because some things in there are truly bizarre. Costs a few hundred yen to enter, no photos allowed. No place like it. #museums #japan #shikoku #gallery

The Great Blacks in Wax Museum

 The National Great Blacks In Wax MuseumBaltimore, United StatesFascinating museum! The wax figures look so real! You can spend hours in this place reading up on American history and checking out the artistic “realness” of the history makers!

The Museum of Russian Vodka

 Museum of Russian VodkaSankt-Peterburg, RussiaThis is a smaller museum located along one of SPB’s main streets. Full of vodka glasses, bottles of vodka, vodka ad posters, and a vodka bar/tasting room. Be sure to check out the plastic Kalashnikov gun full of vodka! #museums #vodka #stpetersburg #russia

The Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory

 Louisville Slugger Museum & FactoryLouisville, United StatesHome of the legendary Louisville Slugger baseball bat! You can opt to enter the museum or just explore the “free bat exhibits” in the lobby. Get your own customized Louisville slugger bat in the gift shop. Bats signed by baseball greats are also for sale here. #baseball #history #louisville #museums

The National Football Museum

 National Football MuseumManchester, United KingdomBeautiful, state of the art museum all about British soccer. Cool exhibits and loads of history make this worth the admission price! Nice park outside, too. #soccer #football #museums #manchester #uk #gallery

Museo del Baile Flamenco

 Museo del Baile FlamencoSevilla, SpainFlamenco Museum that hosts the best, most intimate flamenco shows in Sevilla. Very personal performance by brilliant dancers. Slightly more expensive than the usual flamenco shows but worth the few extra Euros. #dance #entertainment

The Hotel Viru and KGB Museum

 Hotell Viru & KGB muuseumTallinn, EstoniaFormer KGB Headquarters of the USSR located in Hotel Viru, the only hotel non-Societs could stay in during the Cold War. A must-do in Tallinn! Go to their website and reserve your spot in advance as the English tours often sell out. Beyond fascinating tour experience of the hidden KGB floor that makes for some interesting Cold War “nostalgia”. #museums #history #hotels #gallery

The 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art

 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, KanazawaKanazawa-shi, JapanBrilliant art museum – one of the best in Japan! Many pieces of artwork from world-famous artists along with the pool exhibit above that you can go “in”. Not to be missed! #mustsee #museums #art

The Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum

 インスタントラーメン発明記念館Ikeda-shi, JapanIn English, the Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum! See thousands of different types of ramen from around the world and even design and color your own package of instant ramen to take home with you. Awesome experience! #japan #osaka #museums

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