Calling all museum lovers! Whether you’re bopping around your hometown or visiting someplace new, a trip to the local museum is a fun, interactive, and oftentimes fascinating way to spend a day.
But all museums are not created equal. While more traditionally themed arts and history exhibits rarely disappoint, plenty of lesser-known unique museums set out to tickle the mind in an entirely different kind of way.
If you’re in the market for an unusual attraction, consider a trip to a one-of-a-kind museum you never knew you needed to visit.
Meow Wolf — Santa Fe, New Mexico
Putting words to Santa Fe’s Meow Wolf is no easy feat, but to try is to call it a playground for the mind. The concept originally began in 2008 as an informal DIY collective of Santa Fe artists before later opening its doors as a full-blown immersive art experience.
Meow Wolf has since expanded across the country, but a visit to its flagship location promises whimsy, wonder, and inspiration around every corner. As a unique museum, It’s the kind of place you just have to see to believe.
Swarovski Kristallwelten — Wattens, Austria
Swarovski Kristallwelten, otherwise known as “Swarovski Crystal Worlds,” is a real gem. Located in the picturesque town of Wattens in Austrian Tyrol, where the Swarovski crystal company was founded and is still headquartered today, Swarovski Kristallwelten is an unusual attraction like no other.
The dazzling experience features various carefully curated exhibits designed to showcase the beauty of crystal in its many forms. Complete with breath-taking gardens and an entrance so captivating you’ll question whether or not you even need to step inside, a trip to this magical destination is a must.
Camera Obscura & World Of Illusions — Edinburgh, Scotland
Few things bring out one’s inner child quite like five whole floors of illusions. Scotland’s Camera Obscura & World of Illusions is the perfect place to bust boredom while exercising the brain. Take the whole family on a mind-bending adventure through this unusual attraction, and don’t forget to check out the unparalleled views of Edinburgh from the rooftop terrace.
If at any point you start to feel a little dazed and dizzied, flexible entry tickets allow you to come and go throughout the day so you can enjoy the illusions at your own pace.
Museum Of Bad Art — Boston, Massachusetts
Irony is trendy, and a museum filled with “art too bad to be ignored” is about as ironic as it gets. Boston’s Museum of Bad Art (MOBA) is a pun-filled wonderland of debatable works of art with the claim-to-faim of being the world’s only bad art museum, dedicated to the collection, exhibition, and celebration of bad art in all its forms.
A visit to this unique museum is the fun, thought-provoking experience you never knew your life was missing that may just leave you wondering whether the worst pieces in the world are actually some of the best. After all, if the basis of art is enjoyment, then this bad art museum is a masterpiece.