6 Weird Museums in North America Kids Will Love

Sure, you’ve taken the kids to major science museums, children’s museums, history and art museums, but why not take them somewhere a little off the beaten path? One of these six weird museums might be right up their alley.

J’s Tea-rific Teapot Museum

Located in Elloree, South Carolina, this museum is dedicated to all things teapots. There are more than 5,000 at the museum, including a 20-foot teapot you can walk inside. If your kid loves throwing tea parties, you’ll want to attend one of the museum’s high teas, where guests pick out their own teacup and a fancy tea party hat to wear, and munch on three courses of delectable tea party delights. And, since it is the South, iced tea is, of course, on the menu.

Museum of Bad Art

This private museum owns more than 700 pieces of what it calls “art too bad to be ignored.” At any time, you’ll find a few dozen of the pieces on display at one of the museum’s three outposts, with locations in Somerville, Brookline and South Weymouth, Massachusetts.

American International Rattlesnake Museum

For something a little more slithery and possibly even a little scary, visit the American International Rattlesnake Museum in Albuquerque, where you’ll find the world’s largest collection of live rattlesnakes. You’ll see plenty of educational information on the snakes in an effort to debunk any myths you might subscribe to, and a large collection of snake-related memorabilia.

American International Rattlesnake Museum in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Photo: Zeytun Images | Dreamstime.com

International Cryptozoology Museum

The International Cryptozoology Museum in Portland, Maine, is all about those creatures that (possibly) exist on the fringes of the natural world — Big Foot, the Loch Ness Monster, mermaids and other creatures. Exhibitions in the museum include zoological specimens, cultural artifacts and native art, all to entertain and educate.

Bata Shoe Museum

For the shoe lover in your family, the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto delivers the world’s largest and most comprehensive collection of shoes and shoe objects. See artifacts from every culture in the world, reflecting thousands of years of history. There’s even footwear worn by famous figures from throughout history, including Queen Victoria and John Lennon.

The Museum of Miniature Houses

In Carmel, Indiana, The Museum of Miniature Houses offers a huge array of miniatures, from houses to individual room boxes to tiny items totally cute and squeal-worthy. Once you’ve had a look around at the museum’s thousands of items, you can take the experience home when you purchase a miniature kit, or just a pre-made miniature house you can then furnish on your own. Families will definitely want to take the museum up on its scavenger hunts for an engaging and somewhat challenging new level of fun during a visit.