12 Weird New York Museums That Are Stranger Than Fiction
New York is home to some of the world’s strangest museums, where the bizarre and unexpected take center stage. Beyond the famous Metropolitan and MoMA lie hidden gems that celebrate everything from vintage subway cars to handmade kazoos.
These offbeat attractions offer a quirky alternative to traditional museum-going, showcasing the wonderfully weird side of New York culture.
1. Treasure Trove of Urban Oddities
Hidden in plain sight on Metropolitan Avenue, this community museum houses fragments of NYC’s forgotten past. Subway tokens, vintage seltzer bottles, and even pieces of the Statue of Liberty find their home here.
I stumbled upon this place during a rainy Saturday afternoon, and spent hours examining the carefully curated collection of urban ephemera.
The rotating micro-exhibits ensure there’s always something new to discover.
2. Boardwalk Memories Preserved
Step back in time at this nostalgic haven dedicated to America’s playground. Vintage funhouse mirrors, historic carousel horses, and faded sideshow banners transport visitors to Coney Island’s golden era.
The collection of boardwalk memorabilia spans decades, capturing the spirit of this iconic seaside attraction.
After exploring the museum, take a stroll along the actual boardwalk to see how the past connects with today’s Coney Island.
3. Underground Time Machine
Located inside a decommissioned 1936 subway station, this museum lets you board vintage subway cars spanning a century of transit history.
The preserved station environment feels frozen in time, complete with original tiling and turnstiles. My first visit here brought back memories of my grandfather’s stories about riding these exact models as a young man.
Don’t miss the collection of vintage advertisements that once lined the subway cars, offering fascinating glimpses into past decades.
4. World’s Smallest Museum
Tucked away in a former freight elevator shaft, this tiny museum measures just 36 square feet. Despite its minuscule size, it packs a powerful punch with rotating exhibitions of everyday objects transformed into thought-provoking displays.
The museum practices what they call “object journalism” – telling stories through seemingly mundane items.
Past exhibitions have featured everything from knockoff designer goods to personal items left at the US-Mexico border.
5. Cabinet of Morbid Curiosities
Nestled within historic Green-Wood Cemetery, this unusual library and exhibition space explores the intersection of mortality, beauty, and culture.
Victorian mourning jewelry, anatomical models, and taxidermy specimens fill glass cases throughout the space.
During my visit in spring 2025, I joined their Memento Mori Fest programming at Green-Wood and was fascinated by a lecture on 19th-century post-mortem photography.
The rotating exhibitions change regularly, but always maintain a scholarly approach to macabre subject matter.
6. Radical Activism Preserved
Housed in a former squat building, this grassroots museum documents the Lower East Side’s history of urban activism and community gardens. Photos, zines, and artifacts tell stories of neighborhood resistance against gentrification.
The volunteer-run space offers walking tours of nearby community gardens and former squats.
What makes this place special is how it functions as both a historical archive and an active community organizing space, connecting past struggles to present activism.
7. Art Beyond Boundaries
This extraordinary art space occupies a floor of a working psychiatric facility, showcasing artwork created by artists living with mental illness.
Sprawling installations, paintings, and sculptures fill the 40,000-square-foot studio-gallery. Founded in 1983, it stands as one of the oldest art studios for people in the mental health system.
I was moved by the raw emotional power in the works during my visit last year. The boundary between art space and therapeutic environment blurs beautifully here.
8. Pleasure and Cultural History
Far more scholarly than its provocative name suggests, this museum explores human sexuality through a cultural and historical lens. Exhibits examine everything from the evolution of adult entertainment to the science of attraction.
The museum balances academic research with interactive elements. Temporary exhibitions have covered topics like the sex lives of animals and the history of sex toys, approaching each subject with surprising depth and thoughtfulness.
9. Wiggly Dessert Wonderland
America’s most famous jiggly dessert gets the star treatment at this small-town museum near Rochester. Vintage advertisements, molds, and marketing materials trace Jell-O’s journey from its 1897 creation in Le Roy to becoming a national icon.
The museum’s collection includes bizarre flavor failures like celery and coffee Jell-O. When I visited with my aunt, who grew up nearby, she shared stories of Jell-O mold competitions at county fairs, adding personal context to this quirky slice of Americana.
10. Musical Instrument Time Capsule
The only metal kazoo factory still operating in North America invites visitors to witness these simple instruments being made on century-old equipment. Display cases showcase kazoos from different eras, including rare custom designs.
The factory floor tour reveals the surprisingly complex process behind making these seemingly simple noisemakers.
The highlight comes at the end when visitors can make their own custom kazoo to take home, ensuring everyone leaves humming.
11. Glass Containers Through Time
Thousands of hand-blown bottles line the shelves of this unexpected gem in upstate New York. From ornate perfume vessels to humble medicine bottles, the collection spans centuries of American glassmaking history.
The museum also supports glass-arts programming via its glassworks space, where classes and occasional demonstrations take place.
What fascinated me most were the specialty bottle forms and historic designs, which reveal everyday life through the containers people once used.
12. Yellow Brick Road Memories
The birthplace of Wizard of Oz author L. Frank Baum celebrates his famous son with this charming collection of Oz memorabilia. First edition books, movie props, and international adaptations fill this small but comprehensive museum.
The town embraces its Oz connection with yellow brick sidewalks and an annual Oz-Stravaganza festival.
During my visit last summer, an elderly volunteer shared how her grandmother had actually met Baum as a child, making the fantasy world feel surprisingly connected to this small New York town.