At the Oddities Museum in Alton, the spooky spirit of the town comes alive with exhibits of haunted dolls, bizarre taxidermy, and tales of the supernatural.

What are Oddities?

Since I was a kid, I have been intrigued by the "strange and unusual," as Lydia Deetz said. So when I was in college and a show called Oddities came on TV, I was instantly hooked. That's where I learned that there was actually a name for the weird stuff I thought was cool. I actually have a cabinet in my house dedicated to my oddities, in there you'll find everything from old medicine bottles (like early 1900s old) to a goat vertebrae, and uranium glass.

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Merriam Webster defines "oddity" as:

1 : an odd person, thing, event, or trait
2: the quality or state of being odd

So when I learned that there was an oddities museum in Illinois, I needed to know everything so I could buy a ticket and check it out. It was even cooler when I found that this museum is located in the most haunted small town in America, which is so perfectly fitting!

Troy Taylor's American Oddities Museum

Located in Alton, Illinois, is Troy Taylor's American Oddities Museum.

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This museum has a little bit of everything weird you can think of, like haunted dolls, relics from old circus sideshows, and even weird taxidermy.

strange history, haunted objects, supernatural items, sideshow relics, medical quackery, serial killers, funeral artifacts, religious relics, and more!

The museum is open on weekends, Friday through Sunday, 12 P to 5 P.

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Admission to the museum is $5, which is honestly a heck of a deal to see all kinds of weird things, and potentially bring more than just a souvenir home with you. Who knows, maybe a ghost will attach itself to you and you'll get a new friend free of charge!