Museum of the Weird
The weirdest museum in America
What began as a modest private collection in the backroom of a curiosities shop owned by Steve Busti, unexpectedly grew to become nothing less than a Museum of the Weird, with such items on display as a one-eyed pig, two-headed chicken, real mummies, heads in jars and a life-size King Kong. The museum is an ode to the 19th century cabinets of curiosities and freak shows, not to mention the American Museum run by circus baron P.T. Barnum that burned to the ground in 1865. Barnum himself is included in the museum as a wax figure. A live freak show is included in the admission price. Photo: Museum of the Weird
Weird: Cathedral of Junk © PiercarloAbate
Cathedral of Junk
Another private collection that got out of hand, but of a completely different nature. In 1988, Vince Hannemann began picking up other people’s junk and used it to build a colossal work of art in the shape of a cathedral. An estimated 60 tonnes of junk was used, from surfboards and hula hoops to bicycle tyres and traffic signs - much to the horror of the city and neighbourhood residents, who consider the creative junk church a danger to safety and would prefer that it disappear, but to the great pleasure of its numerous visitors.
Weird: the home of artist Sharon Kopriva
Tour of weird houses
Again, the residents of Austin are a bit strange, but have no desire to hide this fact. On the contrary, they open the doors of their equally weird houses once every year. The Weird Homes Tours is a do-it-yourself tour of ten alternating homes, but always the unusually designed and furnished homes of artists, designers, musicians, collectors, magicians and other creative souls. The tour is now also held in other cities, but Austin boasts the original - and with the weirdest houses. Photo: Davidjneff | Wikipedia
