Top 5 weirdest exhibitions in the world

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Love them or hate them, some exhibitions can have such a strong impact on the visitor’s mind that even after weeks you can still remember them vividly. You don’t even need to be interested in the subject, some exhibitions simply have that knack for shocking, horrifying or amazing their viewers, sometimes not even intentionally.

It doesn’t even matter if exhibitions usually bore you and trudging through never-ending galleries seems like a nightmare to you. These exhibitions are guaranteed to leave a lasting impression on you.

BODIES…The exhibition

Those who didn’t like anatomy in school and are squeamish at the sights of their own blood when they nick a finger should stay away from this exhibition. BODIES, like the titles suggests, deals with human bodies, and they are very much dead. The cadavers are preserved through a process called plastination, and if you can get over the fact that you are staring at corpses, you might learn some interesting things about what is really going on inside your body.

You will get a clear glimpse of the skeletal system, and all the layers surrounding it (muscle, nervous system, circulatory system, respiratory system, etc.). So far, the exhibition has traveled to several major American cities, as well as European capitals.

Daniel Edwards – The Iraq Memorial

Daniel Edwards is known to produce some very eccentric things. His Iraq Memorial, a statue of the very much living Prince Harry of the UK in the posture of a dead soldier in Iraq, is rather disturbing on several levels. Edwards said that he was inspired by the Prince’s willingness to serve in Iraq, but understandably enough, his exhibition was found a bit weird by many people.

In any case, this work of art is probably much less weird than some of Edwards’ other works, such as the Paris Hilton autopsy, which was presumably designed to warn people of the dangers of a life of drinking and drugs. The exhibition can be seen at the Tate Gallery in London.

Sulabh International Museum of Toilets, New Delhi, India

This one is a permanent exhibition, which is lucky for those who are interested in the evolution of toilets through the ages. As tongue-in-cheek as the idea of the museum sounds, the intention of the founders was to sensitize people to the problem of public sanitation in India and other countries. The exhibits are interesting to say the least, but the various rituals and codes of conducts associated with toilet usage are the most surprising part of the exhibition.

Bata Shoe Museum, Toronto

This museum dedicated entirely to footwear has changing exhibitions displaying shoes from different parts of the world and different ages. The museum is not simply about displaying shoes, but also telling their stories. For example you can find out why a medieval knight’s sabatons were so pointed, or why the beautiful Native American moccasins were so important for trade, or how different shoes were used to signify social status in some cultures.

British Lawnmower Museum, Southport, England

Few people consider mowing the lawn as a pleasant activity, but maybe looking at the machines without actually having to use them can be interesting. Especially if the lawnmowers are all…antiques. Over 2000 lawnmowers are displayed at the museum, and they are all old enough to warrant a trip to the junkyard.

The oldest machine dates back to 1912. It doesn’t take long to admire all the lawnmowers on display, but  it is a quaint enough exhibition if you are bored of the usual galleries.

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Comments on Top 5 weirdest exhibitions in the world

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stefan wrote on December 26, 2010:

The “Bodies” exhibition is really weird, but it could be a good motivation to stop smoking (You can see there some lungs of smokers).

 

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