Eight of America's weirdest museums revealed, from video games to potatoes
They say America is the land of the free.
But it could also be described as the land of the outlandish, given the focus of some of its quirkier museums.
Here we present eight of the most unusual, attractions that are thriving despite their collections showcasing items that range from the peculiar to the peculiarly mundane.
There's the museum passionately devoted to a type of condiment, one that celebrates a popular variety of vegetable, a museum containing parts of Einstein's brain and one that's a mecca for lovers of a certain pre-cooked meat.
Our list also showcases a museum dedicated to a brand of sauce and another that honors a much-loved type of candy.
Read on and enter a truly wonderful world of weird…
Tabasco Museum, Avery Island, Louisiana
Spice up your travels with a visit to the Tabasco Museum on Avery Island, Louisiana, where the fiery sauce has been made by the McIlhenny family since 1868.
The Tabasco website reveals: "[Founder] Edmund McIlhenny grew his first commercial pepper crop in 1868. The next year, he sent out 658 bottles of sauce at one dollar apiece wholesale to grocers around the Gulf Coast, particularly in New Orleans.
"He labeled it 'Tabasco', a word of Mexican Indian origin believed to mean 'place where the soil is humid' or 'place of the coral or oyster shell'. McIlhenny secured a patent in 1870, and Tabasco Sauce began its journey to set the culinary world on fire."
The site's museum can be experienced as part of a "fan experience", which also includes a tour of the Pepper Greenhouse, Barrel Warehouse, the 170-acre Jungle Gardens and Tabasco Restaurant 1868.
Tickets cost $15.50 for adults, $12.50 for children (four and under are free) and $13.95 for seniors and veterans.
Visit .
The Mutter Museum of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia
This museum is named after Philadelphia physician Thomas Dent Mütter, who, before he died in 1859, bequeathed his entire teaching collection, comprising more than 1,700 peculiar objects and specimens, to the College of Physicians of Philadelphia.
This collection was turned into a museum that opened in 1863, with the college expanding the displays over the years.
There are now over 20,000 fascinating and often eerie medical items for visitors to peruse, from diseased organs to slides of cells from Einstein's brain and from a 139-piece collection of human skulls to an iron lung.
Visitphilly.com describes the museum as a "riveting storehouse" that offers a "beneath-the-surface perspective of what physicians study on a daily basis".
Tickets for adults cost $20, children $15 (those five and under go free) and seniors are charged $18. Visit muttermuseum.org.
National Videogame Museum, Frisco, Texas
Here, gamers can download the history, culture and evolution of video games via interactive exhibits and "rare artifacts".
Highlights include a giant 12ft-tall version of Pong, the classic that kick-started the entire gaming industry; playable consoles from various eras; classic playable arcade games; and a "meticulously recreated 1980s bedroom" that "captures the essence of gaming culture during that unforgettable decade".
The museum also houses an array of computers, from the "legendary" Apple II to the "groundbreaking" Commodore 64 and the IBM PC.
The museum says: "Engage with these vintage machines, each representing a significant milestone in the rise of personal computing, and dive into classic applications and games that captured the hearts and minds of early computer users."
Tickets cost $12 for adults, $10 for children (kids under three get in free) and $10 for seniors and veterans.
Visit nvmusa.org.
The PEZ Visitor Center, Orange, Connecticut
Fans of iconic candy Pez will no doubt see a visit to the Pez Visitor Center in Orange, Connecticut, as a sweet deal.
The center is inside one of two Pez manufacturing facilities worldwide, the other being in Traun, Austria, the country where the candy was invented in 1927.
The center covers over 4,000 square feet and is "dedicated to all things Pez".
It boasts "the largest, most comprehensive collection of Pez memorabilia on public display in the world", a Pez motorcycle built by Orange County Choppers, the world's largest Pez dispenser, and a viewing area into the production area.
Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for children (3-12) and seniors (60-plus). Children under three can visit for free.
Visit us.pez.com.
The Spam Museum, Austin, Minnesota
No, it's not a museum dedicated to junk mail. Rather, it's the "ultimate destination" for fans of the "legendary" Spam brand of precooked meat.
The museum says: "This isn't just a museum — it's a flavorful, interactive experience that takes you on a journey through time, taste, and tradition. From its sizzling start in 1937 to its global fanbase today, the Spam brand has become a pop culture icon.
"Discover the fascinating history of the Spam brand, its global culinary impact, pop culture fame, and the story behind Hormel Foods, all served up with a side of fun, and Spam-ples for visitors of all ages.
"Whether you're a curious foodie, a history buff, or a lifelong Spam fan, there's something there to surprise and delight you."
And if you have any questions while you're there, Spam-bassadors are on hand to help.
Entry is free of charge.
Visit spam.com/museum.
The Idaho Potato Museum, Blackfoot
At the Potato Museum in Blackfoot, visitors can pay homage to the vegetable that is produced in ginormous quantities in Idaho.
The state produces 32 percent of America's total yield - 13.5 billion pounds of potatoes per year on 300,000-320,000 acres of farmland.
Museum highlights include the world's largest potato crisp, a 23-inch-long monster made by Pringles; a potato signed by former vice president Dan Quayle; a collection of potato peelers, spikes, stamps, and mashers; and an array of Mr. Potato Heads.
No trip to the museum would be complete without eating some potatoes, of course. At the museum's cafe, visitors can enjoy potato cupcakes, French fries, tater tots and potato soup served with a potato roll.
Admission is $7 for adults, $6 for seniors and military, $5.50 for students and $3.50 for children (aged 5-12), while children under four get in free.
Visit idahopotatomuseum.com.
The Neon Museum, Las Vegas
Arguably one of America's most illuminating attractions, The Neon Museum shines a light on the iconic signage that has become synonymous with Las Vegas.
The museum has more than 250 signs in its collection, with visitors learning who created them, what inspired them and what role they played in Sin City's distinctive history.
The museum says: "[The] collection chronicles changes and trends in sign design and technology through pieces ranging from the 1930s to the present day."
The museum has a 4.5 rating on Tripadvisor, with one reviewer describing it as "great from start to finish".
One word of advice? Best to go when it's dark…
Admission is from $20 during the day and from $30 at night. Children under six get in free.
Visit neonmuseum.org.
National Mustard Museum, Middleton, Wisconsin
"Welcome to the Condimental Divide… yes, there really is a mustard museum."
So proclaims the website for the National Mustard Museum of Wisconsin, which bills itself as "the golden summit for mustard lovers of all ages".
What's inside? The world's largest collection of mustards and memorabilia, no less.
"I love mustard and this adorable place has a lot of them," said one reviewer.
Admission is free.
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