In New York, there’s plenty of amazing museums all over our state. Maybe you’re looking to experience art at the Ablright-Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo, want to learn more about our state at the New York State Museum in Albany, or maybe you’re feeling adventurous and want to explore the Wild Center in the Adirondacks. But what about thinking outside the box? Maybe it’s time to check out some of the more peculiar museums we’ve never given a second thought to because they just seem so…different.
Some of the museums on our list are definitely not for the faint of heart, but strangely enough a few of these places may have you drowning in nostalgia and unusual charm! Time to step outside our comfort zones and check out these 9 weird museums in New York:
- Kazoo Factory & Museum, Eden
coastermeister/TripAdvisor
TryppAdams/TripAdvisor That’s right! The musical toy that no can deny has a museum right in New York! The only metal kazoo factory in all of North America, the museum showcases the process of how a kazoo is made and the oddly fascinating history behind it all.
- Salt Museum, Liverpool
gladacya/TripAdvisor Curious to learn more about how America was supplied with all its salt in the beginning years? Well then it’s time to head out towards Syracuse! Right on Onondaga Lake, here you’ll learn all about how this place once produced amazing salt. Yes, salt! It may seem strange to some, but our state (especially the western half) has a major infatuation with the mineral.
- Morbid Anatomy Museum, Gowanus
Tolroy/TripAdvisor
Casey G./Yelp No one here is pointing the finger, but if one of these museums was not for those living with weak stomachs, this one may or may not be it. The gruesome museum is home to creepy artifacts, over a thousand books, and many other spine-tingling objects. Often hosting noteworthy exhibits, this museum is definitely worth checking out, depending on your taste.
- Heroes of Baseball Wax Museum, Cooperstown
TonyTTA/TripAdvisor
Woodstock1968/TripAdvisor Stoically waiting for you, over 40 wax figurines can be found at this quirky museum. While many people know of Coopertown’s National Baseball Hall of Fame, they may not know to check out this trip into the past. One of our favorite displays is dedicated to the movie A League of Their Own.
- Mmuseumm, New York City
Dylan M./Yelp
Asami K./Yelp
Voravut R./Yelp One of the more head-turning museums to make our list, this small but unusual spot can be found in lower Manhattan. If you’re curious as to what you can find on display here, well that’s sort of tricky to explain. The museum is home to objects meant to showcase the modern world and is surely too weird for words.
- Jell-O Gallery, Le Roy
JJT404/TripAdvisor
roo1989/TripAdvisor
MaskedTraveler11/TripAdvisor
sb1962/TripAdvisor Would you have ever guessed the vibrant dessert that always made its way to your kitchen table had an entire museum dedicated to its history? Probably not. The gallery offers a peak inside the long history of Jell-O and the small but colorful space will oddly bring you joy.
- Catamount People’s Museum, Catskill
Susan Coleman/Flickr No, this isn’t some strange east coast version of Burning Man. What you see before your eyes is a hidden gem of the Catskill Mountains! The Catskills have been known to show affection for felines, hosting its annual Cat’n Around Catskill, but this is a little bit different. Built by a man named Matt Bua, this bobcat-style feline was constructed of various objects but is mostly made up of wood. Inside this museum you’ll find facts about the area and objects found on the site while making the museum.
- House of Frankenstein Wax Museum, Lake George
tweefle/TripAdvisor
moineauQc/TripAdvisor Right in the heart of Lake George on Canada Street you’ll find this chilling museum! If you’ve ever visited this popular area you’ve almost certainly seen the big man himself, Frankenstein, walking around out front just waiting to greet you. Overall, this spot will more than likely bring your family and friends a good laugh.
- National Bottle Museum, Ballston Spa
p g./Yelp
p g./Yelp Established in 1978, this museum has grown a collection of over 2,000 antique bottles. While you may not think a bottle museum would be worth checking out, we promise you won’t be let down by this odd treasure! Most of the bottles inside the museum are from the 1800’s and have their own stories to tell. This three-story building is filled with incredible history!
To each his own, right? Our state goes above and beyond to make sure every foot has its shoe. Which one of these weird museums in New York would you like to explore?
coastermeister/TripAdvisor
TryppAdams/TripAdvisor
That’s right! The musical toy that no can deny has a museum right in New York! The only metal kazoo factory in all of North America, the museum showcases the process of how a kazoo is made and the oddly fascinating history behind it all.
gladacya/TripAdvisor
Curious to learn more about how America was supplied with all its salt in the beginning years? Well then it’s time to head out towards Syracuse! Right on Onondaga Lake, here you’ll learn all about how this place once produced amazing salt. Yes, salt! It may seem strange to some, but our state (especially the western half) has a major infatuation with the mineral.
Tolroy/TripAdvisor
Casey G./Yelp
No one here is pointing the finger, but if one of these museums was not for those living with weak stomachs, this one may or may not be it. The gruesome museum is home to creepy artifacts, over a thousand books, and many other spine-tingling objects. Often hosting noteworthy exhibits, this museum is definitely worth checking out, depending on your taste.
TonyTTA/TripAdvisor
Woodstock1968/TripAdvisor
Stoically waiting for you, over 40 wax figurines can be found at this quirky museum. While many people know of Coopertown’s National Baseball Hall of Fame, they may not know to check out this trip into the past. One of our favorite displays is dedicated to the movie A League of Their Own.
Dylan M./Yelp
Asami K./Yelp
Voravut R./Yelp
One of the more head-turning museums to make our list, this small but unusual spot can be found in lower Manhattan. If you’re curious as to what you can find on display here, well that’s sort of tricky to explain. The museum is home to objects meant to showcase the modern world and is surely too weird for words.
JJT404/TripAdvisor
roo1989/TripAdvisor
MaskedTraveler11/TripAdvisor
sb1962/TripAdvisor
Would you have ever guessed the vibrant dessert that always made its way to your kitchen table had an entire museum dedicated to its history? Probably not. The gallery offers a peak inside the long history of Jell-O and the small but colorful space will oddly bring you joy.
Susan Coleman/Flickr
No, this isn’t some strange east coast version of Burning Man. What you see before your eyes is a hidden gem of the Catskill Mountains! The Catskills have been known to show affection for felines, hosting its annual Cat’n Around Catskill, but this is a little bit different. Built by a man named Matt Bua, this bobcat-style feline was constructed of various objects but is mostly made up of wood. Inside this museum you’ll find facts about the area and objects found on the site while making the museum.
tweefle/TripAdvisor
moineauQc/TripAdvisor
Right in the heart of Lake George on Canada Street you’ll find this chilling museum! If you’ve ever visited this popular area you’ve almost certainly seen the big man himself, Frankenstein, walking around out front just waiting to greet you. Overall, this spot will more than likely bring your family and friends a good laugh.
p g./Yelp
Established in 1978, this museum has grown a collection of over 2,000 antique bottles. While you may not think a bottle museum would be worth checking out, we promise you won’t be let down by this odd treasure! Most of the bottles inside the museum are from the 1800’s and have their own stories to tell. This three-story building is filled with incredible history!
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