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Museums #12 in Austin, Texas

Museum of the Weird

4.2 · 3,719 reviews
Campy, eerie, and intimate.
Museum of the Weird, 412 E 6th St, Austin, TX 78701, United States
Interesting facts
1

The museum houses the original creature suit used in the 1984 horror film 'The Ice Cream Man'.

2

It features a 'shrunken head' collection that includes authentic specimens, alongside historical replicas.

3

The venue contains a display dedicated to the 'Texas Bigfoot', incorporating local sightings and anecdotal evidence.

4

It serves as a filming location for various independent horror projects and supernatural documentaries.

5

The museum's collection includes historical medical quackery devices and Victorian-era spiritualist apparatus.

Overview

The Museum of the Weird is a specialized collection of cryptids, paranormal artifacts, and sideshow curiosities housed in the back of the Lucky Lizard Curios shop in downtown Austin. The museum features displays of wax figures, taxidermy monstrosities, and historical oddities related to local folklore and unexplained phenomena. It originated from the private collection of Steve Busti and serves as a modern homage to traditional 'dime museums' of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Visitors traverse narrow aisles filled with items like the 'Minnesota Iceman' replica, shrunken heads, and various movie props. The venue focuses on the intersection of pop culture and the macabre, reflecting Austin's 'Keep Austin Weird' ethos. It is a compact, self-guided experience that prioritizes shock value and intrigue over academic presentation.

Photo spot

The large, life-sized cryptid statues and the classic sideshow-style banner art at the entrance.

Insider tips

Plan your visit for a weekday to avoid the heavy foot traffic of the surrounding 6th Street entertainment district.

The museum is physically small and can feel crowded; prioritize a visit during off-peak hours if you have mobility concerns.

Browse the Lucky Lizard Curios shop at the front, which features rare antiques and pop-culture collectibles not found elsewhere.

What to avoid

Do not expect a sterile, high-tech museum experience; this is a lo-fi, independent collection designed for entertainment rather than historical scholarship.

Plan your visit
Typical visit
45-60 minutes
Best time to visit
Weekday afternoons to avoid the rowdy nighttime crowds of the 6th Street district.
Address
Museum of the Weird, 412 E 6th St, Austin, TX 78701, United States
30.267, -97.739
Get directions
Details
Key exhibitsMinnesota Iceman, shrunken heads, wax cryptids, and paranormal movie props.

Frequently asked

Plan for about 45-60 minutes to see the highlights.

The best time to visit is Weekday afternoons to avoid the rowdy nighttime crowds of the 6th Street district..

The large, life-sized cryptid statues and the classic sideshow-style banner art at the entrance.

Close by you'll find Bullock Texas State History Museum, The Paramount Theatre, Auditorium Shores at Town Lake Metropolitan Park.