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 Quirky Hotels Worth a Stay
The World's Best (and Worst) Toilets
Strange International Foods: Our Top Seven
 What's Your Pick for the Weirdest Museum?
There's nothing like a visit to a respected cultural institution to foster the sense that you've spent at least some of your vacation in an enriching way. But let's be frank -- rather than taking in yet another "life of prehistoric man" tableau or exhibit on commemorative coin minting, wouldn't you occasionally like to visit a museum that's a little less ... conventional?
We here at IndependentTraveler.com believe there's no shame in bypassing the orthodox for the odd -- so we've added even more of the world's weirdest to our well-loved list of frightening, humorous, blood curdling and simply bizarre museums. Spend some time examining our esoteric exhibition, and don't forget to share your own favorites on our message boards!
Leila's Hair Museum: Independence, Missouri
If you're heading to Independence Missouri, we must suggest you stop by South Noland Road to see Leila Cohoon's labor of love, Leila's Hair Museum. The former hairdresser runs a museum featuring over 2,000 pieces of antique art made from human hair. See how beehives, beards and bangs were fashioned into wreaths, bracelets, watch fobs, pictures and other interesting objets d'art. The museum's many pieces are products of the Victorian practice of making keepsakes from the hair of loved ones. Who knows -- a visit to the museum could inspire you to fashion a pair of earrings out of Dad's mustache. Admission: $5.
Currywurst Museum: Berlin, Germany
The Currywurst Museum in Berlin boasts a variety of exhibits that honor one of Germany's most famous snacks -- currywurst, which is basically hot pork sausage smothered in a spicy curry sauce. It's also the German national dish. This greasy delicacy is gobbled up roughly 800 million times per year in Germany (which is enough to warrant the existence of a currywurst-themed museum, we think). Visitors to the museum can listen to the sounds of currywurst cooking, learn about the history of the currywurst and even play currywurst cart owner behind the counter of a currywurst snack bar. Admission: about $16.
SPAM Museum: Austin, Minnesota
America's favorite mystery meat is celebrated at the SPAM Museum, where "Spambassadors" roam among 16,500 square feet of SPAM artifacts dishing out SPAM factoids to eager visitors. Museum highlights include a replica of a SPAM plant conveyor belt, a talking life-size statue of George Hormel (creator of SPAM), and a World War II exhibit that examines the important role SPAM played in the historic conflict. (The museum reminds us that the American soldiers who helped defeat the Axis of Evil were predominantly fueled by cans of SPAM.) Admission is free, but there's plenty to buy. You won't want to leave without picking up a few pairs of glow-in-the-dark SPAM boxer shorts. They make great gifts!
Museum of Medieval Torture Instruments: Prague, Czech Republic
Ah, the Middle Ages, when a slip of the tongue could spiral hilariously into the accused being slowly disemboweled in the public square. Prague's Museum of Medieval Torture Instruments is dedicated to depicting the means by which confessions were extracted from alleged heretics.
The visitor can cast his gaze over more than 60 morbid torture devices in a tour that takes about 45 minutes. There's even a useful tutorial on how to operate each machine (English language descriptions included). Our favorite? The Head Crusher: The chin of the accused is placed on a wooden support, a helmet is attached snugly to his head, a crank is turned and ... well, we'll let you imagine the rest. Admission: about $12.
 The Museum of Bad Art: Boston, Massachusetts
Some would argue that defining what constitutes high art is an impossible endeavor -- but Scott Wilson, the founder and "esteemed curator emeritus" of Boston's Museum of Bad Art, seems quite comfortable determining when something really and truly stinks. Wilson was inspired to create the museum after a sudden trash heap discovery of "Lucy in the Field with Flowers," an inconceivably awful work of impossible angles, colors that confuse, and indecipherable ancillary elements. From that incredible find, an idea gradually took shape, culminating in a permanent exhibit of the most offensive attempts at art.
At last count there were over 400 frown-provoking pieces in the collection, though the limited space allows only around 40 or so to be on exhibit at one time. Just a short jaunt from Boston (both the T and the local buses stop nearby), the museum is housed in the basement of Dedham Community Theatre (a working movie house) next to a men's room. Admission is free.
Three Sex Museums: Amsterdam, Netherlands; Paris, France; Husavik, Iceland
No European city is really complete without a museum dedicated to amorous predilection. We've selected three of particular note -- a menage a trois, if you will -- dedicated to the ars erotica.
The Louvre? Been there, done that. On your next trip to Paris, why not visit the Musee de l'Erotisme? Housed in a seven-story building in Quartier Pigalle -- an area known for its sex shops, Moulin Rouge and back-alley tarts -- the museum displays an impressive collection of erotic bric-a-brac from around the world. Offerings include South American and Asian fertility objects, displays on the history of Parisian prostitution, and rotating exhibits of modern erotic art. Admission: about $12, or $5 with advance online reservations.
Amsterdam's sex museum, or Venustempel, the world's oldest of its kind, is visited by roughly half a million titillated tourists a year, who peruse its large stash of erotica. Pieces include paintings, sculptures, manuscripts, recordings, contraptions and even private interactive viewing booths. Admission: about $5.
The Icelandic Phallological Museum, located in the small fishing village of Husavik, is a bit more specific in its focus. Housing roughly 250 phallic specimens, the museum is said to contain examples from every mammal in Iceland, many of them mounted on the walls, others in glass jars. Admission: about $5.
Why not enjoy all three?
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