Category:
Museums
Museums
Shark Petting
Shark petting? Shark feeding!
Posted By: Paul - Sat Jun 06, 2009 -
Comments (0)
Category: Animals, Death, Museums, Nature, Children
Dead Weird
In what can only be described as going beyond the spirit of friendly competition, undertaker David Wood stole the keys from a business rival's hearse, when the vehicle was - how you say - "occupied". The funeral of Patricia Thorburn was immediately disrupted as the car she had requested to be carried in, a 1968 Rolls Royce Phantom, was too heavy to push. Finally the car's owner, funeral director Joel Kerr, resorted to tearing out the walnut dashboard and hot-wiring the engine (BBC News).Also in the UK, life-long bike fan Stuart McIntyre got his last wish in April, when friends built him a special "side-car hearse" so that he could take his final journey in the manner he had taken so many previous ones (Craven Herald).
Apparently, bike hearses are all the rage right now. Jay Howard of "Hometown Hearse" in Battle Creek has also recently added one to his line-up (WZZM13).
In fact, hearses seem to be so popular nowadays some people can't wait for the inevitable to take a ride in one. Certainly Sammy Townsley of Perthshire in Scotland was in a bit of a hurry, having stolen the hearse in the early morning hours, Townsley lost control of the car at high speed minutes later and crashed it into a telegraph pole (Perthshire Advertiser).
Finally, if you're up that way, the Montreal "Musée de Château Dufresne" is hosting an exhibition on the subject of death, funerals and their accoutrements; surely the perfect family day out. Called Celebrating the Dead: A Living Heritage, the exhibition is there till the end of August (Château Dufresne).
Posted By: Dumbfounded - Thu May 14, 2009 -
Comments (11)
Category: Boredom, Death, Museums, Stupid Criminals
The Hope Diamond
But you don't seem to hear about it so much anymore.
For a quick rundown of the tale, visit this site, or check out the Wikipedia entry.
But surely one of the weirdest facts connected with the gem is that it was once sent through the US Mail!
Henry “Harry” Winston, a leading American jeweler and gem dealer, bought the diamond from Mrs. McLean’s estate in 1949. In November 1958 Winston donated the diamond to the Smithsonian Institution, intending it to be the foundation for a National Jewel Collection. With his years of experience in shipping jewelry all over the world, Winston chose to have the diamond delivered by registered mail. He told a reporter for the Washington Post that “ . . . [registered mail is] the safest way to ship gems. . . . I’ve sent gems all over the world that way.”
Just a thought about that curse: since 1958, the Hope Diamond has been owned, in a manner of speaking, by the whole nation. If one chooses to date America's hard times--the end of some mythical Golden Age--from roughly that period, could it be said that the curse is still operative?
Why not sell the Hope Diamond to a rich oil shiek, use the money to help relieve the deficit, and see what happens?
Posted By: Paul - Fri Dec 12, 2008 -
Comments (1)
Category: Museums, 1950s, Natural Wonders, Curses, Postal Services
Medical Museum
Posted By: Paul - Mon Nov 03, 2008 -
Comments (14)
Category: Medicine, Museums, Birth Control
Spit-take
This museum actually wants them.
Two simple facts. Yet what a wealth of weirdness.
Posted By: Paul - Sun Jul 27, 2008 -
Comments (0)
Category: Agriculture, Customs, Eccentrics, Hygiene, Museums, Obsessions, Regionalism
Two Weird Museums
Whether you're on the East Coast of the USA or the West Coast, you'll be able to get your fill of atrocious artwork, thanks to two noble institutions.
Posted By: Paul - Wed Jul 16, 2008 -
Comments (3)
Category: Art, Museums
Barnyard of the Gods
At the fascinating blog of my pal, Rudy Rucker, I recently found the archaically NSFW image hidden beyond the jump. Rudy utilized a picture taken by a friend of his, while I've found my image at a site claiming the sculpture in question is housed at the Secret Museum of Naples.In either case, I thought this was just the kind of bizarre thing WU readers might care to ponder.
More in extended >>
Posted By: Paul - Wed Jul 16, 2008 -
Comments (4)
Category: Animals, Art, Gods, History, Museums, Sexuality
| Who We Are |
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| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Contact Us |