18 Unbelievably Weird Museums in Portland to Explore

Curious traveler, if you’re drawn to the weird, wacky, and wonderfully eerie, Portland is calling your name. This city thrives on eccentricity and the off-kilter, and these eighteen weird museums of the downright bizarre in and around Portland are proof of that spirit. Stop in at some of these tributes to the unusual and bizarre and make your next visit to town oddly unforgettable!

Wacky and Weird Museums in Portland

Skeleton Key Odditorium

939 SW 10th Avenue

Top on the list for weirdness-seekers everywhere has got to be the Odditorium. This 2,500-square-foot museum of the aberrant is like stepping into a history book… if that book were written by vampires, mad scientists, and sideshow performers.

You are welcome to wander through exhibits at your own pace and marvel at glowing radium clocks, peek into Frankenstein’s lab, or finally answer the age-old question: Were vampires just misunderstood goths? From Victorian mourning rituals to the mystical world of tarot, I’m sure there’s something that will catch your interest.

And don’t miss the rotating artist showcase — it’s like a gallery, but with a side of macabre flair. You’ll leave smarter, spooked, and maybe rethinking that antique mirror in your living room.

Freakybuttrue Peculiarium

2234 NW Thurman Street

Put next on your weird museum itinerary the Freakybuttrue Peculiarium — a place that’s anything but ordinary. It’s part museum, part art gallery, and all kinds of weird. The Peculiarium was founded in 1967 to honor Conrad Talmadge Elwood, a Portland adventurer who loved chasing the strange and unexplained. His vision might have been a little blurry, but it led to something amazing.

This place is packed with surprises. There are interactive exhibits for all your senses. You can stand on a skyscraper ledge, meet Bigfoot, or even watch an alien autopsy where the tables are turned. Every corner is filled with retro candies, whacky gifts, original art, and odd treasures.

Feeling bold? They even serve edible insects if you’re up for it. It’s creepy, fun, and totally one-of-a-kind!

The Zymoglyphic Museum

6225 SE Alder Street

Consider walking into a converted garage and being surrounded by some of the most bizarre art possible along with artifacts of beautiful decay. That’s what you’ll get at the Zymoglyphic Museum. This offbeat spot celebrates change, decay, and fermentation in unexpected ways.

The exhibits go deep into some pretty unusual themes — think natural art and museums as curiosity cabinets, all with a healthy dose of the way-out. It’s a place that’ll make you scratch your head, laugh, and maybe even question reality a bit. If you like off-the-wall museums or just want to see something totally different, this is the spot.

Portland Puppet Museum

906 SE Umatilla Street

Have you ever wondered what over 1,500 puppets from 141 countries look like in one place? Well, head to the Portland Puppet Museum, Oregon’s only puppet museum. 

Curator Steven Overton keeps things fresh with rotating exhibits, showcasing puppets of all sizes — some even hundreds of years old. Each puppet has its own story, and if you’re lucky, you might catch a live performance in the museum’s homey theater. It’s fun for both kids and adults, no strings attached (pun intended!).

The museum has hosted more than 50 exhibits over the years, featuring 200 to 400 puppets at a time. They also lead workshops, outreach programs for schools, and live shows at local events like the Italian Festival and Robin Hood Festival.

Stark’s Vacuum Museum

107 NE Grand Avenue

Check out Stark’s Vacuum Museum, a fun spot in our downtown showroom that celebrates vacuums! The museum’s collection includes has 25 of the most popular and most-remembered vacuums in history, opening a window on how vacuums have changed over time, from old wooden models from the 1800s to sleek space-age designs from the 1960s.

Renovated in 2017, the museum also features a timeline so you can learn about the history of these everyday machines. The walls are lined with these fascinating models, and of course, the carpet is spotless! The museum is open during regular store hours, and best of all, admission is free. So, stop by and discover the history of the vacuum cleaner in a whole new way.

Portland Insectarium

5429 N Moore Avenue

For a crawl on the wild side, visit the Portland Insectarium, a zoo and museum dedicated to insects, arachnids, and other arthropods. The Insectarium was founded in 2016 by Jessica Szabo and Molly Radany, who noticed Portland didn’t have an insectarium or natural history museum and decided to fill that gap.

At the Insectarium, you can see and touch live and preserved bugs, explore interactive exhibits, and check out toys, games, and insect-related books. The museum focuses on education, creativity, and sparking curiosity, all while building a lively community of insect enthusiasts.

Blue Moon Camera & Machine

8417 N Lombard Street

Photography buffs will love Blue Moon Camera & Machine. It’s a museum and a camera shop all in one. The museum is full of vintage cameras, film, and other cool photography gear, blown up as a big picture of how cameras have changed over the years.

It’s a great place to be reminded of the cameras you used growing up or the ones you still use today. Bring your artist friends along for some inspiration. And the best part? The museum is always open, and admission is free. So, come on in and find your favorite camera!

Movie Madness Video

4320 SE Belmont Street

This legendary Belmont neighborhood spot is a treasure trove for film enthusiasts. Specializing in rare and hard-to-find titles, it boasts over 80,000 DVDs for rent, ranging from new releases to old classics, keeping the nostalgia of video rentals alive.

The place also doubles as a mini-museum where visitors can marvel at its collection of film memorabilia, displaying iconic items like the falcon statue from The Maltese Falcon and a prosthetic ear used in Blue Velvet —  with director David Lynch’s own hair! Other highlights include props and costumes from The Wizard of Oz, The Sound of Music, Citizen Kane, Casablanca, Psycho, Gremlins, Fight Club, and Pulp Fiction.

The Morrison Street Minigallery

3229 SE Morrison Street

The Morrison Street Minigallery is a fetching nod to Portland’s love for “sidewalk joy,” reflected in the city’s abundance of little free libraries, community display boxes, and other quaint curbside surprises. Located outside a home in the Belmont area, this tiny gallery offers monthly exhibitions that rotate to feature creative works by local artists.

Each visit brings a delightful surprise — previous exhibits have included miniature framed photographs of Portland’s iconic bridges, tiny ceramic creatures nestled in vibrant moss and flowers, and a detailed paper-crafted scene of a forest fire with a watchtower.

Historic Belmont Firehouse & Safety Learning Center

900 SE 35th Avenue

At this old Belmont Firehouse (which was still in use when I lived a few blocks away from it), visitors take an interactive dive into over a century of firefighting history, living the thrill of sliding down a fire pole, sitting in the driver’s seat of a firetruck, and exploring antique equipment like vintage water pumps and hand tools.

The center also features engaging activities such as the “Fire Engine Experience,” an emergency response simulator that provides a hands-on look at the life of a firefighter.

Flutter PDX

3948 N. Mississippi Avenue

Three parts museum and one part store — or something like that (they do have to keep the lights on) — Flutter PDX is a rabbit hole that takes you down inside a giant treasure chest minus the awkward pirate, where you can watch the owners’ passion for art, history, and storytelling practically dancing off the shelves.

Prepare to be swooned by a smorgasbord of antique curiosities, handmade goodies, vintage clothing, locally crafted jewelry, and apothecary items that could charm even the most stoic Victorian ghost, and that might just make you question how you’ve lived without them.

Flutter is like that friend who always knows what you want but can’t quite put it into words. You walk in thinking you need a birthday present, and suddenly you’re leaving with a cactus-shaped lamp and a hand-knitted sweater for your cat.

But wait, there’s more! If you can’t find that perfect item online (because let’s be honest, the internet can be a black hole of confusion), Flutter will come to the rescue. Just shoot them an email, and they’ll help you track down whatever treasure you’re hunting for. It’s like having a personal shopping assistant who doesn’t judge you for wanting to buy a life-sized cardboard cutout of your favorite celebrity.

So whether you’re on a quest for the bizarre, a statement piece that screams “I’m fabulous,” or just need a gift that says “I thought about this for at least five minutes,” or you just need a reason to linger in an enchanting wonderland of kook, Flutter is where you want to be!

John Callahan Garden

NW 21st Avenue & Marshall Street

Anyone who was a denizen in Portland’s Northwest neighborhood in the 1980s to 2010 would have crossed paths now and again with an acne-scarred quadriplegic with bright-orange hair zipping around in a motorized wheelchair, usually with a pretty young woman or two in tow.

And they would know him affectionately as the guy responsible for the shakey-handed cartoons poking fun of the challenges faced by the disabled, as well as the inanities of bigots, fanatics and blowhards of all political, religious and social stripes.

This little garden pays tribute to the man in its display of his best single-frame, equal-opportunity roasts that brought a couple decades worth of laughs to millions.

Oregon Maritime Museum   

198 Southwest Naito Pkwy (on the river)

Anchors aweigh at the Oregon Maritime Museum, where the region’s maritime history is quietly preserved. Since 1980, the museum has focused on sharing the stories of marine trade, shipbuilding, and river navigation. The exhibits provide a simple but fascinating look at these industries’ role in the area’s past.

The museum also collects maritime records for public use and provides opportunities for learning and education. Plus, it honors merchant mariners and keeps the region’s nautical past alive. So, set sail for a fascinating (and maybe slightly less wavy) adventure!

Oregon Historical Society

1200 SW Park Avenue

No guide to weird museums in Portland would be complete without a mention of the Oregon Historical Society, an institution dedicated to preserving and sharing the state’s rich and convoluted history, tracking the trials, tribulations and triumphs of people in the state’s past through a variety of exhibits of artifacts, photographs, and interactive displays.

Of the museum’s permanent exhibits, Experience Oregon is the cornerstone, occupying the entire third floor. Spanning 7,000 square feet, it tells the story of Oregon’s diverse geography and complicated history through various artifacts and narratives. This exhibits includes:

• A reproduction of a ship’s hull.
• A 1940s-era mercantile store.
• A complete lunch counter from a diner.
• The famous Portland Penny, the coin used to decide the city’s name between Portland and Boston148.

Rivers, Roses, and Rip City: This newer permanent exhibition focuses on Portland’s unique history, featuring over 500 objects and photographs that illustrate the city’s geographical and cultural diversity.
History Hub: A hands-on exhibit designed for families and children, this exhibit allows young visitors to engage with Oregon’s history interactively.
Rotating Exhibits: The OHS also hosts rotating exhibits that cover various historical topics and themes, including significant events like the Lewis & Clark Expedition. These exhibits often feature historic photographs and artifacts relevant to specific themes or anniversaries.

Weird Museums in Portland’s Outskirts

National Neon Sign Museum

200 East 3rd Street
The Dalles, Oregon

The National Neon Sign Museum is like a time machine for your eyes, tucked away in the heart of the historic downtown of The Dalles, about an hour and a half east of Portland. This place captures the history, craftsmanship, and culture of America, all through the lens of the signage and advertising industry.

With a focus on the evolution of electric signs — from pre-electric gold leaf to plastic — this museum holds one of the world’s largest collections of neon storefront signs.

Among its unique pieces are the animated ‘Dog n’ Suds’ sign and Howard Johnson’s ‘Simple Simon.’ The museum also has a rare collection of West Coast petroleum signs, including Richfield’s ‘Eagle’ and Seaside.

Step inside, and you’ll find full-scale storefront replications of lost American icons like Big Bear Drive In and Dawn’s Donuts. It’s a fun, out-of-the-ordinary, and very neon journey through history that’s sure to light up your day — or at least your Instagram feed.

Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals

26385 NW Groveland Drive, Hillsboro

Those who’ve been to the school of hard rocks will in particular appreciate the rubble rousing that takes place at the Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals. Imagine a lode where every rock has a story, and not just the boring kind!

Here, you can meet a petrified tree that’s been standing still for millions of years — talk about commitment issues! The museum stores over 20,000 specimens, including fossils and meteorites, which means there’s more history in one room than in your average family reunion. Just be careful not to trip over a thunderegg; they might look like ordinary rocks, but they’re actually geological treasures waiting to be plundered, or at least waiting to trip you up!

In this rockin’ establishment, even the displays seem to have a sense of humor. You might find yourself chuckling as you read about the “dung” fossils — yes, coprolites are fossilized poop! Who knew that ancient creatures had such a crappy diet?

And if you think you’re just there to admire the minerals, think again! The museum offers fun events like thunderegg cutting, where you can unleash your inner geologist and find out if you’ve got what it takes to crack open a rock without losing a finger. So grab your pickaxe (or just your sense of humor) and head over to this gem of a museum — where the rocks are hard, but the laughs are soft!

Don’t leave without paying homage to the Alma Rose Rhodochrosite. This drop-dead gorgeous specimen is like the prom queen of the mineral world, flaunting its deep pink, almost cherry-red hues and rhombohedral shape, making it the envy of all other rocks at the museum. It’s so beautiful that even the yellowish calcite deposits speckled on it seem to be trying to get in on the action, like a sidekick hoping for a selfie with a celebrity!

But beware, because while the Alma Rose may look like a sweet treat, it’s got a hardness of only 3.5 to 4 on the Mohs scale — soft enough that you might mistake it for a piece of candy! Just imagine someone trying to take a bite out of this gorgeous crystal, only to discover that it’s not quite as delicious as it looks.

So, next time you’re at the Rice Northwest Museum, admire this rosy rock from a distance; after all, it’s not just pretty — it’s also a reminder that beauty can be fragile!

Next Level Pinball Shop & Museum

1458 NE 25th Avenue, Hillsboro, Oregon

This arcade, one of the world’s largest, is a mother lode of nostalgia where flippers reign supreme. For just $22, you can unleash your inner child and play over 615 pinball machines without needing a pocket full of quarters.

Just be warned: you might leave with carpal tunnel syndrome after trying to beat your high score on that vintage “Eight Ball Deluxe.” The only downside? You’ll likely find yourself reminiscing about your glory days while realizing your reflexes are now more suited to a leisurely game of bingo.

As you explore this pop culture paradise, prepare for sensory overload. With 27,000 square feet of games and collectibles, it’s like stepping into a carnival where the prizes are memories and the ambiance is pure joy. The staff are like arcade ninjas, swooping in with glass cleaner to keep every game running smoothly. They’re so dedicated that you might suspect they’ve replaced their blood with soda pop!

Grab your wristband and get ready for a day filled with laughter, competition, and the occasional embarrassing moment as you try to explain to your friends why you just spent ten minutes on a game that was popular before they were even born!

North American Bigfoot Center

31297 SE, US-26, Boring, Oregon

From its digs in the ironically named town just outside of Portland, the North American Bigfoot Center is a Shangri-La for cryptozoologists and casual skeptics alike. Founded by the enthusiastic Cliff Barackman of Finding Bigfoot fame, the museum displays a panoply of Sasquatch memorabilia that might just convince you that Bigfoot is more than a blurry photo or two.

As you step inside, you’re greeted by a life-sized Bigfoot statue that looks like it wandered out of a 1970s horror flick. The exhibits have on view everything from foot casts to questionable security footage, creating a vibe that feels like a blend of a natural history museum and an eccentric uncle’s attic. You can even “smell” what Bigfoot allegedly smells like — though many say it resembles wet dog mixed with regret.

For those brave enough to explore further, the center includes interactive experiences, such as listening to Sasquatch howls that might just give you nightmares. Maybe you’re a die-hard believer or just in it for the laughs. Whatever the case, the North American Bigfoot Center promises to lead you on a hunt that’s anything but boring!

Where to Stay 

Portland Eco House

Make your weird museum-hopping sustainable by booking a stay in an earth-friendly, vegan-friendly vacation rental at the Portland Eco House in the Alberta Arts District. Choose from the homey Patio Cottage or private Patio Suite.  Or book the two combined as the Patio Villa — all featuring organic bedding and eco-conscious amenities. 

After a day taken up by oddities, arrive back from the abnormal to the lovely patio or by the fire pit. With its commitment to sustainability and prime location, the Portland Eco House is just the right home base for laying bare Portland’s entrancing eccentricity.

Embrace the Extra-Ordinary

From macabre exhibits to whimsical collections, Portland’s uncanny museums open a window onto the city’s idiosyncratic spirit. With the welcoming Portland Eco House as your basecamp, you can experience the peculiarities in eco-friendly comfort. Get ready for an expedition of the strange but wonderful like no other!