Quirky Museums

Single-subject museums in small towns, usually started by the one person who cared enough.

Museum of Wonder Drive-Thru

Seale, Alabama

Created by artist Butch Anthony, this quirky drive-thru museum is housed in a shipping container filled with bizarre oddities, folk art, and taxidermy. Visitors can view the exhibits through windows without ever leaving their cars. It is a brilliant, whimsical celebration of Southern outsider art.

Museum of Making Music

Carlsbad, California

Discover the history of the music products industry at this hands-on museum. You can trace the evolution of instruments from the 1890s to today and even play vintage and modern instruments in the interactive lounge. It's a hidden gem for music lovers of all ages.

Noah Purifoy Outdoor Desert Art Museum

Joshua Tree, California

Spread across 10 acres of the Mojave Desert, this open-air museum showcases monumental assemblage sculptures made entirely from discarded materials. It is a surreal, thought-provoking wonderland where weathered junk is transformed into poetic art. Best of all, it is free to wander at your own pace.

Petersen Automotive Museum

Los Angeles, California

Spanning an entire city block, this museum is a paradise for car lovers, showcasing over 100 years of automotive history. Its eye-catching exterior of stainless-steel ribbons mimics the flow of wind, while inside sits everything from Hollywood film cars to rare concept vehicles. Don't miss the Vault, an underground treasure trove of motoring history.

International Banana Museum

Mecca, California

This quirky roadside oasis holds the Guinness World Record for the largest museum devoted to a single fruit, boasting over 20,000 banana-themed items. Visitors can marvel at yellow kitsch of every description while enjoying a fresh banana milkshake. It is a delightfully weird, one-of-a-kind pit stop near the Salton Sea.

USS Midway Museum

San Diego, CA

Step aboard one of America's longest-serving aircraft carriers, now docked in downtown San Diego. This massive floating city features over 30 restored aircraft, flight simulators, and real-life stories from veterans. Surprisingly, it was the largest ship in the world until 1955.

Museum of Clean

Pocatello, Idaho

This massive museum dedicated to the concept of cleanliness features thousands of vintage vacuums, historical washing devices, and interactive exhibits. Founded by cleaning magnate Don Aslett, it aims to sell clean as a lifestyle and boasts the world's largest collection of pre-electric vacuum cleaners.

Fick Fossil and History Museum

Oakley, Kansas

Explore an eclectic mix of prehistoric shark teeth, dinosaur fossils, and local history. The museum's true highlight is its quirky folk art creations made from thousands of fossils and shells. It's a delightfully strange stop along the Kansas prairie.

The Oz Museum

Wamego, Kansas

This whimsical museum houses one of the largest collections of Wizard of Oz memorabilia in the world, spanning over a century of history. Visitors can follow the Yellow Brick Road to view thousands of artifacts, from first-edition books to original movie props. It is a colorful, nostalgic tribute to L. Frank Baum's timeless creation.

Fort Johnson Museum

Leesville, Louisiana

Explore the rich military heritage of Louisiana at the Fort Johnson Museum, which chronicles the post's history from the landmark 1941 Louisiana Maneuvers to the present. Discover fascinating exhibits on tactical training and the heritage of the local homesteading families.

Museum of Bad Art

Boston, Massachusetts

Dedicated to the collection, preservation, and celebration of bad art in all its forms, this quirky gallery showcases pieces too bad to be ignored. Housed inside a local craft brewery, it offers a hilarious look at artistic endeavors gone wonderfully wrong.

Leila's Hair Museum

Independence, Missouri

This unique museum is the only one of its kind in the world, dedicated entirely to the historic art of hair wreaths and jewelry. Visitors can marvel at over 2,000 intricate items dating back to the Victorian era, including pieces containing locks from historical figures like Daniel Webster.

Glore Psychiatric Museum

St Joseph, Missouri

Chronicling the 140-year history of the adjacent state mental hospital, this museum offers a fascinating look at the evolution of mental health treatment. Visitors can explore replica treatment devices, patient artwork, and bizarre items swallowed by patients, including a famous collection of over 1,400 safety pins.

City Museum

St Louis, Missouri

Housed in a former shoe warehouse, this surreal playground is an architectural marvel made from repurposed industrial and urban objects. It features a ten-story slide, an outdoor climbing cage, and a school bus hanging off the roof. It is an unforgettable artistic wonderland built for visitors of all ages to explore.

Goldwell Open Air Museum

Beatty, Nevada

This haunting 15-acre outdoor sculpture park in the Mojave Desert features ghostly life-size figures, a giant steel penguin, and a colorful tiled lady. Created by a group of Belgian artists, it offers a surreal art experience against a stark desert backdrop.

National Atomic Testing Museum

Las Vegas, Nevada

Delve into the shadow of the Cold War at this Smithsonian Affiliate museum, which documents the history of nuclear testing in the Nevada desert. It's an unexpectedly chilling yet fascinating detour from the Strip, featuring real Geiger counters, pop-culture artifacts, and a simulated atmospheric bomb blast.

Pinball Hall of Fame

Las Vegas, Nevada

This massive, non-profit museum houses hundreds of playable pinball machines ranging from retro classics to modern marvels. Run entirely by volunteers, it is a sensory-rich walk down memory lane where every quarter spent supports local charity.

The Neon Museum

Las Vegas, Nevada

Step into a glowing graveyard of vintage Sin City history at this outdoor museum, where retired neon signs from iconic casinos find a second life. Walking through the outdoor boneyard offers a nostalgic journey through Las Vegas's visual evolution. Surprisingly, the museum's visitor center is housed inside the fully restored, futuristic lobby shell of the historic La Concha Motel.

Zak Bagans' The Haunted Museum

Las Vegas, Nevada

Housed in a historic 1938 mansion, this spooky destination showcases paranormal investigator Zak Bagans' collection of eerie artifacts. Visitors can explore winding corridors filled with haunted objects, including the infamous Dybbuk Box and Peggy the Doll. It’s a must-visit thrill for fans of the macabre.

Space Farms Zoo & Museum

Sussex, New Jersey

This family-run, 100-acre roadside odyssey combines a wild animal park with an eclectic museum housing over 50,000 antique items. Visitors can marvel at over 500 live animals and explore massive collections of vintage cars, firearms, and taxidermy. It is even home to Goliath, one of the largest preserved taxidermy bears in the world.

International UFO Museum and Research Center

Roswell, New Mexico

Housed in a historic 1930s movie theater, this quirky museum is the epicenter of the 1947 Roswell UFO incident lore. It features timeline exhibits, alien models, and crop circle theories, making it a must-visit for believers and skeptics alike. Don't miss the delightfully retro animatronic alien display in the center of the room.

Tinkertown Museum

Sandia Park, New Mexico

Tinkertown Museum is a whimsical folk-art wonderland featuring a massive collection of hand-carved miniature wood figures and animated scenes. Created over 40 years by artist Ross Ward, the museum's walls are crafted from over 50,000 glass bottles. It is a delightfully nostalgic journey into one man's creative obsession.

Big Mac Museum Restaurant

Irwin, Pennsylvania

Pay homage to one of the world's most iconic burgers at this unique McDonald's franchise. It features a 14-foot-tall replica of the Big Mac, historic memorabilia, and exhibits dedicated to inventor Jim Delligatti. It is a deliciously quirky pit stop for fast-food enthusiasts.

Flatwoods Monster Museum

Flatwoods, West Virginia

This quirky museum is dedicated to the legendary 1952 sighting of the Braxton County Monster, a ten-foot-tall extraterrestrial. It houses an eclectic collection of memorabilia, vintage monster lanterns, and historical archives. Best of all, it shares space with the local visitor center, making it a perfect quick stop.

National Mustard Museum

Middleton, Wisconsin

Home to over 6,000 mustards from more than 70 countries, this delightfully eccentric museum celebrates the world's favorite condiment. Visitors can view historical mustard pots, browse vintage advertisements, and sample hundreds of varieties at the famous tasting bar.