Top 10 Unusual Museums in the U.S

Weird or unusual is subjective. What you think is unusual, I consider normal. My weird is your unremarkable. Here are ten United States museums that, while not bizarre, are just a bit offbeat, a little out of the norm.

The New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum will show you all you want to know about voodoo... it's origins, famous practitioners, and secrets of the trade. Learn about Marie Laveau, how to use a voodoo doll, or how to get your lover back. The museum is in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana, at 724 Dumaine Street. It's open seven days a week from 10am to 6pm. Admission is $7 for adults, with discounts for seniors and children. http://voodoomuseum.com/

The Museum of the American Cocktail may be the place to go after leaving the voodoo museum. Located at Riverwalk Marketplace,1 Julia Street Suite 169, in New Orleans, the museum is all things cocktails. The goal of the museum's founder is to educate the public about the history of the American cocktail and it's influence on American culture and the beverage industry. All things involved in the creation of a cocktail are here and seminars are offered to help you learn to mix it right. Admission to the museum is $10. Hours are Monday through Saturday 10am to 7pm, Sunday noon to 6pm. http://www.museumoftheamericancocktail.org/NewOrleans/

Controversy has surrounded the Creation Museum, a depiction of the creation of the world according to the Book of Genesis, as opposed to scientific data. Exhibits in this huge facility include the Garden of Eden, the Great Flood, and over 80 animated life sized dinosaurs. Outside are gardens with 500 varieties of plants, courtyards, and a petting zoo. No matter what your personal beliefs, this museum is a must see if you're in the Cincinnati area. Located at 2800 Bullitsburg Church Road in Petersburg, Kentucky, the Creation Museum is seven miles north of the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. Opening hours vary, so check the website for more information. Admission for adults is a whopping $21.95, with discounts for seniors and children. Active duty military, police, and firefighters are admitted free with ID. http://creationmuseum.org/about/

Another source of let there be light is the good old flashlight. Located at 11621 95th Ave N, Maple Grove, Minnesota, and is open from 8-5, Monday through Friday. Who knew that there were so many designs of flashlights and that something called an electric candle from 1900 would be valued at $600? The museum buys and sells collectible flashlights so check out your stored junk and see if you have a hidden treasure. No admission info but I'm guess it's free. http://www.flashlightmuseum.com/

The creator of the children's classic The Very Hungry Caterpillar, along with his wife, founded The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art to inspire appreciation for the art that is usually the first we see in the books that are read to us as children. In this 40,000 square foot museum you'll find rotating exhibits, educational programs, and a hands-on area for creating your own masterpiece. A wonderful place for children and adults, this unusual museum is located at 125 West Bay Road, Amhurst, Massachutes. Adult admission is $9, with discounts for seniors, children, and families. Hours vary, so check the website for current hours. http://www.picturebookart.org/Home

Artwork of another kind is found at the Ethel Wright Mohamed Stitchery Museum in Belzoni, Missippi. The family home now contains a collection of embroidery pictures created by Mrs. Mohamed. Some depict her family life, some are her ideas of in the Mississippi Delta years ago. The website states that her work can be seen at the Smithsonian Institute and she has been featured in many articles and exhibitions. The museum is located at 307 Central, Belzoni, Missippi, and is open by appointment only. http://www.mamasdreamworld.com/

In the early part of the century when travel was just a dream for most Americans, Martin and Osa Johnson traveled from Kansas to some of the most remote areas of the world. Their photos of the people and wildlife of Africa and the South Pacific are amazing and a true contribution to history. Who would have thought that the Martin and Osa Safari Museum is ranked the number one museum in Kansas? Located in downtown Chanute, Kansas, the museum is closed on Sunday and Monday and the adult admission is a cheap $4.00.http://www.safarimuseum.com/about_museum.htm

For more traditional traveling history, see the RV/MotorHome Hall of Fame in Elkart, Indiana. The 56,000 square foot building holds a collection of some of the oldest travel trailers, including a 1915 Model T Ford with a slide out unit and a 1928 Pierce Arrow housecar. Neat stuff here for you to browse, including the newest models of RV's. Located at 21565 Executive Parkway, Elkhart, Indiana, the museum id closed on Sunday. Adult admission is $8.00. http://www.rvmhhalloffame.org/museuminv.cfm

As most of us live a comfortable life, tenement life in the last century is not something we even think about. The Tenement Museum on Manhattan's Lower East Side gives more than a glimpse of life there for immigrants in 1863. The museum can only be seen by guided tour and there are several choices... Getting By, A Neighborhood Walking Tour, An Irish American Family, and more. Tours start at 108 Orchard, seven days a week, starting at 10:30am. Adult tickets are $20. http://www.tenement.org/

To lighten things up, be a pinball wizard. The Pinball Hall of Fame is a hands on experience. When Tim Arnold moved from Michigan to Las Vegas, he took his 1000 pinball machines with him. There are over 200 machines that play for 25 or 50 cents... Spiderman, Wheel of Fortune, and Pinball Circus. Cheap retro entertainment at 1610 E. Tropicana, Las Vegas, Nevada. Admission is free and all proceeds from the machines go to charity. http://www.pinballhall.org/page.aspx?p=148

No freaky stuff at any of these museums but they are all a bit unusual as museums go.

Sources:
Roadside America.com
Offbeat Museums by Saul Rubin
Fodors.com
Individual web sites