Its exhibitions focus on overlooked or ignored "contemporary artifacts," such as toothpaste tubes from around the world.
Holly Springs, Mississippi
An hour south of Graceland, Elvis Presley's Memphis home, is the private residence of Paul MacLeod, a self-described Elvis fanatic.
(image via rufusowliebat, CC)
He amassed so much Elvis memorabilia that every inch of his home was covered in posters, album covers, and other knickknacks, and he invited visitors to tour his finds. Unfortunately, following his death in 2014, tours were no longer allowed, and the collection was put up for auction.
Zagreb, Croatia
The Museum of Broken Relationships is one part museum and one part art concept. Materials donated by individuals from failed relationships make up the permanent collection, and visitors can digitally upload their own donations or record audio/video confessionals.
(image via brokenships.com)
Among the numerous donated exhibition items, the most interesting include an axe, a wedding dress, and fuzzy pink handcuffs.
Portland, Maine
Opened in 2009 as the first of its kind in the world, the International Cryptozoology Museum focuses on the search to verify scientifically unrecognized animals such as the Loch Ness Monster or Bigfoot.
(image via cryptozoologymuseum.com)
Interestingly, the museum sees its mission as a gateway for youth to be introduced to the more "hard sciences" of biology and zoology. It shows we can all have a little fun in our professional lives.
Leeds, United Kingdom
Fashionable, fancy dog collars aren't a recent phenomenon.
(image via leeds-castle.com)
The Dog Collar Museum at Leeds Castle catalogs more than 500 years of ornately designed collars for man's best friend, ranging from bulky metallic pieces to delicate expensive cloth creations. Those spiky choker collars actually protected pets from predators in European forests.
The Sulabh International Museum of Toilets features toilets from over 50 countries, ranging from 2500 B.C.E. to the present. By promoting the importance of sanitation, the museum hopes to improve the living conditions of poorer residents in both India and throughout the world.
Reykjavik, Iceland
We know you're asking "Why?!" Unfortunately, we can't really give you an answer. What we can tell you is that the Icelandic Phallological Museum features over 280...specimens, mostly from animals.
(image via phallus.is)
They did manage to procure a human specimen, but "unfortunately" it was improperly stored. We would have thought the cold temperatures of Iceland would have been perfect for that.
Ikeda, Japan
The Instant Ramen Museum is the dream of college students everywhere. Rows and rows of ramen line the walls in every conceivable flavor possible.
(image via instantramen-museum.jp)
Learn about how this humble noodle came from modest beginnings to become a truly global powerhouse. Visitors can even design their very own cups and then mix and match ingredients to create a uniquely original flavor blend for themselves.
Cancun, Mexico
Bathing suits in public are usually a no-go, but if you plan on visiting the surreal underwater museum in Cancun, they're practically required!
With over 500 sculptures situated beneath the water, the museum is an amazing feat of ingenuity. And it's not just a bunch of junk at the bottom of the ocean--the sculptures were designed to promote the growth of coral and other marine organisms.
Los Angeles, California
If you're too cool and detached to visit a normal museum, you might enjoy the weirdly ironic and meta Museum of Jurassic Technology in Los Angeles.
Described as a "witty, self-conscious homage to private museums," the Museum of Jurassic Technology contains a number of random and scientifically dubious exhibits--including a decaying pair of dice and a collection of portraits done of dogs who have been sent into space.
Pasadena, California
For some, the Bunny Museum is a hopping magical place. For others, it's the work of rabbit-obsessed hoarders. But regardless of where you fall on the issue, it's definitely a museum worth visiting.
While most of the museum is filled with rabbit figurines and stuffed animals, there are some decidedly creepier exhibits, too. And that includes seven freeze-dried rabbits that were former pets of the museum's owners.
Berlin, Germany
Everyone knows that the best museums are food-based, and they don't get much tastier than the museum dedicated to currywurst--a fried pork specialty of Germany.
At the museum, you can explore the history of this delicious dish, play currywurst-based video games, and, of course, eat plenty of mouth-watering samples.
Sommerville, Massachusetts
Good art is so overrated. Who wants to be moved to tears of joy at viewing a timeless masterpiece when you could be moved to tears of laughter by a terrible work of art?
This private collection in Massachusetts has over 700 works that are described as "art too bad to be ignored." And that's definitely not an exaggeration. If you visit, you'll be accosted by works of art made with poor technique and bizarre sources of inspiration that never needed to be depicted in a visual medium.
