International Banana Museum facts for kids
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Museum interior, July 2017
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| Established | 1976 |
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| Location | Mecca, California |
The International Banana Museum was a special place in Mecca, California. It was a museum completely focused on the banana! This unique museum had over 20,000 items all about bananas. In 1999, it even earned a Guinness World Record. It was named the biggest museum in the world dedicated to just one fruit. The museum announced it would close because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It has remained closed since August 2023.
Contents
The Museum's Story
How the Banana Museum Started
The idea for the museum began in 1972 with a man named Kenneth Bannister. He was in charge of a company that made camera equipment. At a big meeting, he gave out thousands of Chiquita banana stickers. He thought the banana's smile shape might make people happy.
People really liked his idea! This encouraged Bannister to create the International Banana Club. He was even called the "Top Banana." Soon, he started getting lots of banana-themed items sent to him. He quickly ran out of space for them all. So, in 1976, he decided to open the museum.
Growing the Banana Club
The International Banana Club and Museum first operated in Altadena. It was in a building that Bannister rented. The Banana Club became very popular. It grew to have 35,000 members in 17 different countries!
To join the club, you just needed to donate a banana-related item to the museum. Members would get a fun banana nickname. They could also earn "banana merit points." You could even get a special degree in "Bananistry"! Even President Ronald Reagan was a member of this fun club.
Moving the Banana Collection
In 2005, Bannister moved the museum to Hesperia. The city let him use a space for free. But in 2010, the Hesperia Recreation and Park District wanted the museum to move. They needed the space for a new exhibit.
Bannister then put his entire banana collection up for sale on eBay. He first asked for $45,000. Later, he lowered the price to $7,500. In 2010, a man named Fred Garbutt bought the collection. The exact price was not shared, but it was less than $7,500. Fred Garbutt moved the museum to Mecca, California. He became the new person in charge of the collection.
What Was Inside the Museum?
A World Record Collection
In 1999, the International Banana Museum earned a Guinness World Record. It was recognized as the largest museum dedicated to a single fruit. At that time, it had an amazing collection of 17,000 banana items.
Unique Banana Items
The museum was filled with many fun and quirky items. These included a "banana couch" and "banana soda." There was also a gold-plated banana and a banana boogie board. You could even see "banana ears"!
One of the most unusual items was the only petrified banana in the world. This special banana came from a girl's closet in Kentucky. The museum was a great place for families to visit. It was always kept kid-friendly.
The Banana Bar
The museum also had a special place called the Banana Bar. Here, visitors could enjoy different foods and drinks. Of course, everything served at the bar was related to bananas!
