21 Weird and Bizarre Photos of Museums from the Past

Daniel Bonfiglio Published 10/05/2024 in wtf

Museums are supposed to be places where you can go to see some of the world's most spectacular things, and hopefully learn about them in the process.

But even today some museums are more weird than cool, and that effect is only magnified when you go back to a time before modern ethics, and modern science.

Here are 21 weird and bizarre photos of museums from years past.

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1.
Spanish Egyptologist Eduardo Toda y Güell, who discovered and opened the intact tomb of Sennedjem, standing next to the ancient Egyptian mummies in the Bulak Museum. Filmed in 1885.
2.
Melted and damaged mannequins after a fire at Madam Tussaud’s Wax Museum in London, 1925.
3.
Workers at the American Museum of Natural History clean an elephant hide in preparation for an exhibition,1930s-40s.
4.
A trusting visitor gets her lipstick touched up via the robotic arm exhibit at the American Museum of Atomic Energy in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, 1954.
5.
Yves Saint Laurent Mondrian Dresses, The Hague Municipal Museum, Netherlands, 1966.
6.
Congolese people part of an exhibit at the Africa Museum in Belgium, 1897.
7.
Fire drill in Cloth Hall Museum in Kraków, Poland. The painting is "Prussian Homage" by Jan Matejko. Poland, 1930.
8.
Visitors reacting to a semi naked statue in a museum in New Orleans. Louisiana, 1953.
9.
Installing the forest floor exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History, New York City, 1958.
10.
A dinosaur being delivered to the Boston Museum of Science, 1984.
11.
A collection of shrunken heads and skulls on display at the Wellcome Historical Medical Museum in London photographed in 1928.
12.
Model of the Moon, Field Columbian Museum, Chicago, 1894.
13.
Barbra Streisand as Nefertiti at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in 1966.
14.
Retired Heads of State stand neck and neck with other famous and infamous figures at Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum storage. October, 1979.
15.
The Sounion Kouros statue getting (re)buried under the museum floor shortly before the German troops arrived in Athens, 1941. The National Archaeological Museum of Greece safeguarded all of its large statues this way throughout WWII.
16.
Rat king found in 1885 kept in a French museum.
17.
"Security at work" museum exhibition, Berlin, 1931.
18.
Arnold Schwarzenegger at the Whitney Museum, New York City, 1976.
19.
American Eugenics Society exhibit at Sesquicentennial Exposition, Philadelphia, 1926.
20.
Queen Elizabeth examines the skeleton of 7ft 7in Charles Byrne, "The Irish Giant." Royal College of Surgeons, London, 1967.
21.
Baron Hans von und zu Aufseß, Founder of the Germanic National Museum in Nuremberg, Posing in a 15th Century Suit of Armour, 1864.

1.
Spanish Egyptologist Eduardo Toda y Güell, who discovered and opened the intact tomb of Sennedjem, standing next to the ancient Egyptian mummies in the Bulak Museum. Filmed in 1885.
2.
Melted and damaged mannequins after a fire at Madam Tussaud’s Wax Museum in London, 1925.
3.
Workers at the American Museum of Natural History clean an elephant hide in preparation for an exhibition,1930s-40s.
4.
A trusting visitor gets her lipstick touched up via the robotic arm exhibit at the American Museum of Atomic Energy in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, 1954.
5.
Yves Saint Laurent Mondrian Dresses, The Hague Municipal Museum, Netherlands, 1966.
6.
Congolese people part of an exhibit at the Africa Museum in Belgium, 1897.
7.
Fire drill in Cloth Hall Museum in Kraków, Poland. The painting is "Prussian Homage" by Jan Matejko. Poland, 1930.
8.
Visitors reacting to a semi naked statue in a museum in New Orleans. Louisiana, 1953.
9.
Installing the forest floor exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History, New York City, 1958.
10.
A dinosaur being delivered to the Boston Museum of Science, 1984.
11.
A collection of shrunken heads and skulls on display at the Wellcome Historical Medical Museum in London photographed in 1928.
12.
Model of the Moon, Field Columbian Museum, Chicago, 1894.
13.
Barbra Streisand as Nefertiti at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in 1966.
14.
Retired Heads of State stand neck and neck with other famous and infamous figures at Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum storage. October, 1979.
15.
The Sounion Kouros statue getting (re)buried under the museum floor shortly before the German troops arrived in Athens, 1941. The National Archaeological Museum of Greece safeguarded all of its large statues this way throughout WWII.
16.
Rat king found in 1885 kept in a French museum.
17.
"Security at work" museum exhibition, Berlin, 1931.
18.
Arnold Schwarzenegger at the Whitney Museum, New York City, 1976.
19.
American Eugenics Society exhibit at Sesquicentennial Exposition, Philadelphia, 1926.
20.
Queen Elizabeth examines the skeleton of 7ft 7in Charles Byrne, "The Irish Giant." Royal College of Surgeons, London, 1967.
21.
Baron Hans von und zu Aufseß, Founder of the Germanic National Museum in Nuremberg, Posing in a 15th Century Suit of Armour, 1864.

Spanish Egyptologist Eduardo Toda y Güell, who discovered and opened the intact tomb of Sennedjem, standing next to the ancient Egyptian mummies in the Bulak Museum. Filmed in 1885.

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Spanish Egyptologist Eduardo Toda y Güell, who discovered and opened the intact tomb of Sennedjem, standing next to the ancient Egyptian mummies in the Bulak Museum. Filmed in 1885.

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1. Spanish Egyptologist Eduardo Toda y Güell, who discovered and opened the intact tomb of Sennedjem, standing next to the ancient Egyptian mummies in the Bulak Museum. Filmed in 1885.

2. Melted and damaged mannequins after a fire at Madam Tussaud’s Wax Museum in London, 1925.

3. Workers at the American Museum of Natural History clean an elephant hide in preparation for an exhibition,1930s-40s.

4. A trusting visitor gets her lipstick touched up via the robotic arm exhibit at the American Museum of Atomic Energy in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, 1954.

5. Yves Saint Laurent Mondrian Dresses, The Hague Municipal Museum, Netherlands, 1966.

6. Congolese people part of an exhibit at the Africa Museum in Belgium, 1897.

7. Fire drill in Cloth Hall Museum in Kraków, Poland. The painting is "Prussian Homage" by Jan Matejko. Poland, 1930.

8. Visitors reacting to a semi naked statue in a museum in New Orleans. Louisiana, 1953.

9. Installing the forest floor exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History, New York City, 1958.

10. A dinosaur being delivered to the Boston Museum of Science, 1984.

11. A collection of shrunken heads and skulls on display at the Wellcome Historical Medical Museum in London photographed in 1928.

12. Model of the Moon, Field Columbian Museum, Chicago, 1894.

13. Barbra Streisand as Nefertiti at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in 1966.

14. Retired Heads of State stand neck and neck with other famous and infamous figures at Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum storage. October, 1979.

15. The Sounion Kouros statue getting (re)buried under the museum floor shortly before the German troops arrived in Athens, 1941. The National Archaeological Museum of Greece safeguarded all of its large statues this way throughout WWII.

16. Rat king found in 1885 kept in a French museum.

17. "Security at work" museum exhibition, Berlin, 1931.

18. Arnold Schwarzenegger at the Whitney Museum, New York City, 1976.

19. American Eugenics Society exhibit at Sesquicentennial Exposition, Philadelphia, 1926.

20. Queen Elizabeth examines the skeleton of 7ft 7in Charles Byrne, "The Irish Giant." Royal College of Surgeons, London, 1967.

21. Baron Hans von und zu Aufseß, Founder of the Germanic National Museum in Nuremberg, Posing in a 15th Century Suit of Armour, 1864.

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1.
Spanish Egyptologist Eduardo Toda y Güell, who discovered and opened the intact tomb of Sennedjem, standing next to the ancient Egyptian mummies in the Bulak Museum. Filmed in 1885.

2.
Melted and damaged mannequins after a fire at Madam Tussaud’s Wax Museum in London, 1925.

3.
Workers at the American Museum of Natural History clean an elephant hide in preparation for an exhibition,1930s-40s.

4.
A trusting visitor gets her lipstick touched up via the robotic arm exhibit at the American Museum of Atomic Energy in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, 1954.

5.
Yves Saint Laurent Mondrian Dresses, The Hague Municipal Museum, Netherlands, 1966.

6.
Congolese people part of an exhibit at the Africa Museum in Belgium, 1897.

7.
Fire drill in Cloth Hall Museum in Kraków, Poland. The painting is "Prussian Homage" by Jan Matejko. Poland, 1930.

8.
Visitors reacting to a semi naked statue in a museum in New Orleans. Louisiana, 1953.

9.
Installing the forest floor exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History, New York City, 1958.

10.
A dinosaur being delivered to the Boston Museum of Science, 1984.

11.
A collection of shrunken heads and skulls on display at the Wellcome Historical Medical Museum in London photographed in 1928.

12.
Model of the Moon, Field Columbian Museum, Chicago, 1894.

13.
Barbra Streisand as Nefertiti at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in 1966.

14.
Retired Heads of State stand neck and neck with other famous and infamous figures at Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum storage. October, 1979.

15.
The Sounion Kouros statue getting (re)buried under the museum floor shortly before the German troops arrived in Athens, 1941. The National Archaeological Museum of Greece safeguarded all of its large statues this way throughout WWII.

16.
Rat king found in 1885 kept in a French museum.

17.
"Security at work" museum exhibition, Berlin, 1931.

18.
Arnold Schwarzenegger at the Whitney Museum, New York City, 1976.

19.
American Eugenics Society exhibit at Sesquicentennial Exposition, Philadelphia, 1926.

20.
Queen Elizabeth examines the skeleton of 7ft 7in Charles Byrne, "The Irish Giant." Royal College of Surgeons, London, 1967.

21.
Baron Hans von und zu Aufseß, Founder of the Germanic National Museum in Nuremberg, Posing in a 15th Century Suit of Armour, 1864.