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The Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities, Fine Art & Natural History facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
The Viktor Wynd Museum cabinet of curiosities 26
The interior of the Viktor Wynd Museum

The Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities, Fine Art & Natural History is a unique museum and bar located in Hackney, London, on Mare Street. It was started by Viktor Wynd and is part of The Last Tuesday Society. The museum opened in 2015 after getting funding from a Kickstarter campaign. It's a place where you can see many strange and wonderful things.

What Can You See at the Museum?

The museum has a collection of many interesting and unusual items. It's like a modern-day "cabinet of curiosities," which were popular in the past for showing off rare objects.

Unusual Collections

  • Natural History: You can find items like dodo bones and feathers from birds that are now extinct. There's also a lot of taxidermy, which means preserved animals, including the skeleton of a giant anteater.
  • Art: The museum displays art from different centuries. It has the largest public collection of works by Austin Osman Spare, an English artist. You can also see many pieces by the Anglo-Mexican surrealist artist Leonora Carrington.
  • Curious Objects: Some of the more unusual items include hairballs and preserved animals like two headed lambs. There are also examples of Fiji mermaids, which are famous hoaxes made from parts of different animals.
  • Historical Items: The museum has a section about the Dandy, a type of stylish person from history. This includes drawings and old papers related to Stephen Tennant, a well-known dandy.
  • Global Artifacts: You can see tribal art that was collected from places like The Congo and New Guinea. There are also fossils and old scientific and medical tools.

The entire collection at the museum is insured for a large amount of money, showing how valuable these unique items are. The museum is usually open for visitors, but sometimes it is rented out for special private events.

Art Exhibitions

The Viktor Wynd Museum also hosts regular art exhibitions. These shows feature works by various artists, including Alasdair Gray, Mervyn Peake, Gunter Grass, Robin Ironside, and other English Surrealists. These exhibitions allow visitors to see different styles of art in a very unique setting.

External Links

  • The Last Tuesday Society: The Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities - This is the official website where you can find more information.