Obscure and niche tourist attractions

[Glow worm]

I often go past 'Gnome Magic' near Colchester. I cant believe I've managed to resist visiting so far.

''Gnome Magic was founded in 2000 with some 500 gnomes and friends but now it has grown to over 800 and growing and diversifying so it now includes gnome painting, shop with further diversifications planned.'

 

[Salar]

Barbed wire museum, Billy Connolly visited this on his travels.

http://www.rushcounty.org/barbedwiremuseum/

 

[John the Monkey]

Izegem (Belgium) is home to both the National Brush Museum, and National Shoe Museum.

 

[oldfatfool]

The sex machines museum in Prague brings tears to your eyes, the cellar restaurant next door is excellent value though.

 

[MarkF]

There was a World of Sooty museum about a mile from my house, sadly now closed, I don't know why........

 

[pplpilot]

Worm museum, Victoria, Australia.

http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/wildlife-wonderlands-giant-earthworm-museum

 

[Dec66]

Waltzing Waters, Ryde, IoW

http://www.waltzingwaters.co.uk

 

[accountantpete]

Sadly now closed - The House Of Wax in Great Yarmouth

M.Owen - footballer

Steve Davis - snooker player

 

[Moon bunny]

http://www.museumofbadart.org/
It is almost worth going to Boston just to see:

 

[Markymark]

Sadly now closed - The House Of Wax in Great Yarmouth

M.Owen - footballer

View attachment 119313

Steve Davis - snooker player

View attachment 119314

Just change the hair and the top one is Jimmy Carr!

 

[stephec]

I was going to say Cars of the Stars, and The Bond Collection, both in Keswick.

A quick Google shows them both closed though.

 

[Poacher]

It is almost worth going to (near) Boston just to see:
the bubblecarmuseum
(Apologies to @Moon bunny)

 

[stephec]

It is almost worth going to (near) Boston just to see:
the bubblecarmuseum
(Apologies to @Moon bunny)

Is that the one near Cranwell, I thought it had closed?

 

[Nigeyy]

Sadly for me, this museum has moved from Dedham in Massachusetts (just down the road for me). It was in the basement of a movie theatre when it was at Dedham.

My, how I miss spending precious minutes gazing to the "art" works on display (just outside the mens) whilst waiting for the start of a film. Truly magnificent in its awfulness.

http://www.museumofbadart.org/
It is almost worth going to Boston just to see:

 

[ColinJ]

A friend of mine visited Towneley Hall in Burnley at the weekend. (The Towneleys have been a notable local family for generations. Mary Towneley was responsible for the creation of the eponymous Loop (MTL) loved by local horse riders, mountain bikers and ramblers, and forming part of the Pennine Bridleway.).

One room of the grand old building had an exhibit which included a scary plastic human head with a sign next to it saying 'Please do not touch the head'.

My pal said that it was a weird exhibit, especially since there was no information about its meaning.

I told her that it was in fact a real mummified head, once proudly owned by Francis Towneley of that parish. Unfortunately, his support for the Jacobite Rebellion in the mid-1700s rather irked George II who had him hung, drawn and quartered! The head was then stuck on a spike on public display in London. At some point, the Towneleys managed to recover the head and it has had a colourful history ever since!

There was an interesting article in the Guardian about it a couple of years ago ... Uncle Frank's Severed Head!