There's A Museum Of Oddities In Oregon, And It's One Of The Quirkiest Places You'll Ever Go
By Christy Articola|Published April 21, 2023
×
Christy Articola
Author
Christy Articola has lived in Colorado since 2013 and considers herself a Centennial State enthusiast and expert through and through. She's based in Denver metro, but over the past decade, she has traveled to every corner, river, village, park, town, and city in the state and continues to explore it deeper and further whenever she can. Christy simply can't get enough of Colorado, and loves sharing all her adventures with you through Only In Your State! She graduated with a degree in journalism from Fordham University and is thrilled to be working as a full time travel writer for this and other sites - she finally found her perfect niche - and is so grateful for that.
Surely you’ve heard the phrase “Keep Portland Weird.” Well, the The Zymoglyphic Museum is working hard to do exactly that. This museum of oddities is one of the strangest and quirkiest places you’ll ever visit, and the things that you see there will surely stay with you for quite some time after you’ve left. You’ll have to plan your visit ahead of time, though – it’s only open two days each month! Read on to learn more about this unique museum in Portland, Oregon.
Do you like weird museums? If so, you're going to love The Zymoglyphic Museum. It doesn't get much weirder than this.
The Zymoglyphic Museum is the world's only institution devoted to the study and display of art, artifacts, and natural history of the Zymoglyphic region. What's the Zymoglyphic region, you ask? If you read the FAQs on the museum's website, you'll learn that it's a place that the curator made up.
zy'-mo-glyph'-ic, adj.:
1. Of, or pertaining to, images of fermentation, specifically the solid residue of creative fermentation on natural objects
2. The collection and arrangement of objects, primarily either natural or weathered by natural forces, for poetic effect
Advertisement
This place has been open since December of 2016, and it's been welcoming curious guests ever since.
There's also the Zymoglyphic Post Office and a museum shop here.
This museum doesn't offer tours. The best way to see it is to just go inside, wander around, and check it out. The curator will be present to answer your questions.
You're welcome to take photographs during your visit and you'll certainly want to. It's pretty much impossible to explain this museum to others without some images.
Most of the exhibits are labeled, but you'll probably find that the labels don't really help a whole lot. It's quite a learning experience, although you may not be able to articulate in words what you've learned afterward.
This place isn’t like anyplace else on Earth. It’s important to tell you that The Zymoglyphic Museum is only open two days a month. You can visit it on the second and fourth Sunday of each month from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is free!
You’re going to love this place if you love unique museums. There’s really nothing else like it anywhere in the world. Plan a visit today and plan to spend a lot of time looking at all of the interesting exhibits here. Chances are, you’ll want to come back time and time again with friends!
If you love weird things, then you’re probably looking for even more weird things to do in Oregon — although you’ll likely find it hard to top the Zymoglyphic Museum! Check out this list of weird places in Oregon for more inspiration!
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.