Top 5: Los Angeles’s Weirdest Museums

Los Angeles is home to so many bizarre and wonderful things that it’s hard to know what to do, but these museums are a great place to start if you want to get to know the city’s weird side.

Los Angeles Police Museum
This collection of memorabilia from the LAPD gives visitors a chance to explore the city’s history through exhibits showcasing the department’s work to protect and serve the city.  The museum is housed in a National Historic Landmark building — a police station dating back to 1925 in Highland Park.

Museum of Death
Created with a goal of ‘making people happy to be alive,’ this macabre attraction gives visitors an opportunity to explore a curious assortment of exhibits related to death, such as antique funeral items, coroner and mortician equipment, crime scene photographs and serial killer artwork. Some of the items on display are graphic and not for the faint of heart.

Museum of Illusions
Rather than showcasing collections of famous artists, this museum houses exhibits that create incredible illusions and stretch the imagination. Spend a few hours wandering the interactive 3-D illusions that include walking on the ledge of a skyscraper and exploring the museum’s upside-down house. VIP tours are available that include a photographer to chronicle your fun.

Skid Row History Museum
Run by the Los Angeles Poverty Department, this small space in Downtown L.A.’s Skid Row neighborhood consists of exhibits and events that highlight the plight of the city’s homeless and the work of those who help them.

International Surfing Museum
Located in Huntington Beach, this unusual museum celebrates all things related to surf culture. The goal is to preserve the history of the sport and the museum does so with a collection of unique surfboards, surfing memorabilia and surf art.