Austin, Texas is filled with historic buildings, contemporary hangouts, and ultra-modern skyscrapers. Austin’s amazing live music venues have also helped give it the nickname of “Live Music Capital of the World.” However, this sprawling city of contrasts and entertainment has another tagline floating around.
The popular slogan “Keep Austin Weird” offers a sense of identity for locals and sparks curiosity for potential visitors. With plenty of quirky things to see and do in Austin, it definitely lives up to its name. Just over a mile from Austin’s famous Rainey Street is the Museum of the Weird. What makes this destination intriguing (aside from the name itself) is that it is one of the few remaining “dime museums” left in the United States. This means the Museum of the Weird is carrying on a long tradition of sideshow oddities on display for the public — and for low prices. Fans of “The Greatest Showman” might easily make the connection between dime store museums and P.T. Barnum, as this infamous circus promotor helped these dime museums become popular.
Look for mummies and monsters at the Museum of the Weird
The Museum of the Weird began as the Lucky Lizard Curios & Gifts shop, which still occupies the front of the museum. The shop’s owners soon wanted some choice items to remain on permanent display, and the Museum of the Weird was born. Cheesy horror film props, mermaids, wax figures, mummies, and other curiosities are just some of the wacky items you’ll find at this museum. In true dime museum fashion, tickets are just $12.99 for adults and $8.99 for kids eight and under. As you can guess, you can buy a little piece of Austin’s weirdness at the gift shop, or take your pick from more tame souvenirs like Austin t-shirts.
The Museum of the Weird is located right on Sixth Street, one of Austin’s major cultural hotspots. After raising your eyebrows at the wonders of the Museum of the Weird, keep walking along Sixth Street for a handful of comedy clubs, bars, and nightclubs. It becomes pedestrian only on the weekends too. The Museum of the Weird is not the only family-friendly thing on Sixth Street, however. VooDoo Doughnut is a highlight of Sixth Street and serves over a dozen inventive doughnut variations for all ages to enjoy.
Other Quirky things to experience in Austin
