If you think displaying dolls, beers or dinosaurs in a museum is quirky, wait till you read about these 10 weird and wonderful museums in Asia:
1. Ramen Museum, Japan
Known as the Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum, this popular Japanese noodle dish is enshrined in an amusement-park style museum in Yokohama. Opened in 1994, it is a replica of Shiatamachi, an old Tokyo town in the late 1950s when ramen was made popular with the invention of instant noodles. From history to recipe to variety, there’s soups, toppings, bowls, customisable instant noodle packages and plenty of restaurants where you can eat to your heart’s content.
Ramen Museum, Yokohama by specialoperations
2. Teddy Bear Museum, South Korea
The Teddy Bear Museum in Jeju Island, South Korea is a weird and wonderful collection of these beloved cuddlies. You’ll see a variety of exhibits where these furry animals are set up in scenes and poses, from the Mona Lisa Teddy to the Beatles Teddy, and the Terra Cotta Teddy to the Swarovski Teddy. Another highlight is an exhibit of the smallest Teddy Bear in the world, measuring a mere 4.5mm.
Teddy Bear Museum, Jeju by Mariane
3. Eyeglass Museum, China
The Eyeglass Museum in Shanghai is China’s first and only glasses and optical museum, displaying over 5,000 types of spectacles dating back to the Song dynasty. With exhibits like the oldest sunglasses in the world from the Ming dynasty, to Chinese embroided spectacles case and tortoise-shell frames, visitors can also design a pair of spectacles for self use with the guidance of professional software.
4. Ninja Museum, Japan
Known as the Iga-Ryu Ninja Mansion, this warrior musem located in Iga just outside Osaka has a ninja residence, two exhibition halls and a stage hosting ninja shows. A guided tour will take you inside what looks like an ordinary residence into a world of revolving walls, hidden compartments and booby traps. There are also ninja tools, gadgets, costumes, weapons, techniques and demonstrations – definitely one on the list for all ninja fans.
Ninja Museum, Ueno by Guilhem Vellut
5. Tap Water Museum, China
The Tap Water Museum in Beijing is dedicated to the history of the city’s introduction to tap water, which began in 1908 at the command of Empress Dowager Cixi after a fire broke out at her palace and a lack of water destroyed many valuable items. With over 130 objects, 110 pictures and 40 models on display, interesting exhibits include a chimney, steam engine room and newspaper ads promoting the benefits of tap water over well water.
6. Condom Museum, Thailand
Located inside the Ministry of Public Health Building in Nonthaburi, the Condom Museum is another one of Bangkok’s quirkier attractions. It comes as no surprise, seeing as Thailand is one of the world’s largest producers of condoms. Intended to create awareness of sexual protection, there are sizes, colours and flavours of every spectrum on display as well as a tour of the lab where condoms are tested for reliability.
7. Toilet Museum, India
The Museum of Toilets in New Delhi is one of the world’s quirkest museums, dedicated to the historical trends and development of toilets. Established in 1992 by an non-profit organisation called Sulabh International, there’s everything to learn from drainage systems in 2500 BC India, to the Aryan Code of Toilets in 1500 BC, and the first flush toilet in 1000 BC Persia to toilet tax in 69 AD during the Otto Empire.
Toilet Museum, New Delhi by Sulabh International
8. Museum of Counterfeit Goods, Thailand
Owned by law firm Tilleke & Gibbins, this unique museum located in Bangkok has over 4,000 goods that have violated trademarks, patents and copyrights. From Fred Perry T-shirts to fake Nokia mobile phone batteries, the museum established in 1989 at the firm’s office in Yan Nawa District is an internal collection of infringed goods now used as educational tools for the public, many of which were seized in raids conducted on behalf of the firm’s clients.
9. Museum of Death, Thailand
Known as the Siriraj Medical Museum, this medical museum located within Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok is certainly not for the faint hearted. Permanent and temporary exhibits examine different elements of CSI-related science, forensic pathology, coronary studies, head injuries, skulls, pre-natal cadavers and even a Tsunami 2004 exhibit. The key highlights here is the mummified remains of Thailand’s first cannibal serial killer, Si Quey.
Siriraj Medical Museum (Death Museum), Bangkok
10. The Museum of Chicken Art, Korea
Located in Bukchon Hanok Village in Seoul, this private museum was opened in 2006 by Kim Chogang, a fan and collector of various kinds of artwork relating to chickens from all around the world. The two-storey museum houses over 4,000 items, such as chicken-shaped lamps, stamps, tea cups, clocks, furniture, pottery and jewellery. Highlights include Korean artist Lee Eung-ro’s ink and wash chicken collage and an antique wooden chicken statue belonging to Empress Myeongseong.
Chicken Art Museum, Seoul by wanderingseoul.com
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