The World’s Most Unique Museums

13 Sep The World’s Most Unique Museums

We all love art museums when we travel, but sometimes we get a little museum-ed out. If the thought of seeing another original Picasso or staring up at Michelangelo’s David gets your yawn-maker going, consider visiting one of these museums instead:

El Museo de las Momias (Museum of the Mummies): Guanajuato, Mexico

Graveyards are fun, but all the cool dead people are buried and out of sight. That’s not the case at the Mummy Museum, where the skeletal remains of hundreds line the walls to haunt your vacation for a few hours.

Currywurst Museum: Berlin, Germany

Have you ever wanted to listen to the sounds of currywurst—a hot pork sausage smothered in a spicy curry sauce—cooking? You can in Berlin, where Germany’s national dish gets the royal treatment. Here you’ll learn about the history of currywurst and can even pretend to work behind the counter of a currywurst snack bar.

Museum of Medieval Torture Instruments: Prague, Czech Republic

If the words “Iron Maiden” make you think of the torture device instead of the English metal band, then this is the museum for you. Sixty morbidly fascinating torture devices are on display, each with a useful tutorial on how to operate them, which might come in useful to parents of teenagers.

Tap Water Museum: Beijing, China

The oddest thing about Beijing’s Tap Water Museum—built in a former pipe-house and containing 130 mouth-watering displays, such as vintage water coupons—is that you shouldn’t drink the water here.

British Lawnmower Museum: Southport, England

Did you know that Princess Diana owned a lawnmower? You would if you visited the British Lawnmower Museum, which showcases the past, present and future of lawnmowers.

Hair Museum: Avanos, Turkey

Some Turkish potters work from shacks, but one potter works in a cave covered by the hair of 16,000 women. Believe it or not, this is the world’s largest collection of hair.

Celebrity Lingerie Hall of Fame: Los Angeles, United States

The five people in the world who have not seen Cher’s bra should go here, where unmentionables are clearly mentioned. Also on display are Forrest Gump’s boxer shorts and Milton Berle’s feminine undies.

Cigarette Lighter Museum: Tokyo, Japan

Every “world’s most unique” list has an entry from Japan. In Tokyo alone there are museums for kites, baseball equipment, John Lennon memorabilia and cigarette lighters.