Five unusual museums in the world

Some love them, some hate them but you cannot avoid them. In all my travels around the world, I have seen several museums – of writers and artists, of science and art, of salt and spices, of beers and whiskeys, of chocolates and breads, of cars and bikes, of kings and queens. Almost every city will have a unique museum, some weird, some unusual. Here is my list of five unusual museums from around the world – an international museum day special

Toy Museum in Seiffen, Germany

Nutcrackers at the Toy Museum in Seiffen

There are several toy museums in the world but nothing is quainter than the world of toys created by the miners of the Ore Mountains in a little fairy tale town called Seiffen in Germany. Called the Ore Mountain Toy Museum or in Germany , it showcases traditions, art, architecture, folk lore and the crafts of the region. The miners started making wooden toys for their children for Christmas and when the mines became empty, they took to this industry. The toys have a strong Christmas connect . Here the nutcrackers and the smoking men rub shoulders with carousels and candles. The world of miniatures bring home the world of the miners.  There is an open air museum here as well and you can try your hand at making a toy. The village itself takes you back to the olden days when miners lived here and you can see a glimpse of their lifestyle too. A museum you must not miss if you visit Germany

Also read – Souvenirs from the Christmas Markets in Germany 

International Perfume Museum in Grasse, France

Perfumes at the museum

Sensual , romantic and erotic, the international perfume museum in Grasse near Cannes and Nice is literally an assault on your senses. Musee International de la Parfumerie is unique in its own way.  It is not a museum, but an experience. You can literally feel the fragrances in the air. The museum also delves into various eras when toiletries and baths began to be seen as more of a lifestyle and an erotic influence than just hygience. Bath tubs with near glamourous women look out of ancient paintings. The courtyards, the gardens and the pavilions lend an old world charm. You delve into a world of soaps and cosmetics. You lose yourself in beautiful ceramics and glass that contain these scented perfumes. You learn a bit about smells from the world of nature. I was literally swept off my feet with all the fragrances around me.

Also read – My first impressions of Cannes

Comic strip museum, Brussels, Belgium

Tintin strip in museum

I went looking for the museum on Tin tin but I found this little enchanting museum in Brussels. The  Comic Strip museum  is very fascinating. Besides Tintin, there are sections dedicated to other artists and talks in detail about the history of comic strip and the various techniques used in creating them. A fascinating section indeed. Almost all of Brussels is depicted in a comic strip..so if you want to see the areas and localities in a funny tone, do visit it. And I was told that the a section on the Smurfs was in the offing. A little book store here is a treat with caricatures, books, magnets and postcards. Next time in Brussels – dont miss the Comic Strip Museum and if you have the time, do go to Tintin museum as well.

Also read – Five must dos in Brussels 

Ice Palace, Jungfraujoch, Switzerland

The Ice Palace in Jungfrau

They call it the ice palace, but what you actually see at the Top of Europe in Switzerland is a museum of ice, filled with carvings and sculptures.  There are many ice palaces in the world but what makes the oneat Jungfrau in the Bernese Alps special is that it is like a series of ice caverns. The Jungfrau Railway Station located right on top of the summit is the highest railway station in Europe. The train takes you through tunnels to atop the glacier where the Ice Palace awaits you. It showcases the history of the region in ice.

Also read – Meeting Roger Federer at Jungfrau 

Hash Marijuana and Hemp Museum in Amsterdam

In high spirits

There are so many museums in Amsterdam – from art to erotica. And if you are in the red light area, then three of them catch your fancy – the sex museum, the erotic museum, the hash, marijuana and hemp museum. I personally liked the last. The first two delve into a world of soft pornography and erotica with nude photographs while the erotic museum has sex toys . If you enter the intoxicated world of hemp and hash, you find yourself understanding the various uses  – from industrial to indulgence.

Have you been to other unusual museums in the world ?