Museum Challenges Bored Curators to Share the Creepiest Objects from Their Collections
Museum Challenges Bored Curators to Share the Creepiest Objects from Their Collections
By Mark PygasUpdated April 22 2020, 11:02 a.m. ET
I've lost track of exactly how long we've all been stuck inside, but it's been a while, and there are only so many good shows on Netflix. Understandably, the Internet has started to get a little bored and has come up with some interesting concepts to keep us entertained, including the "dadosaur."
But none of them have been quite as creepy as one museum's challenge to fellow curators. The Yorkshire Museum in the United Kingdom recently took to Twitter to ask museums to share the creepiest things in their collections, and they didn't disappoint.
The Yorkshire Museum started their thread with a weave that's older than most countries.
MUSEUMS ASSEMBLE! It's time for #CURATORBATTLE! 💥
Today's theme, chosen by you, is #CreepiestObject!
We're kicking things off with this 3rd/4th century hair bun from the burial of a #Roman lady, still with the jet pins in place...
CAN YOU BEAT IT? 💥 pic.twitter.com/ntPiXDuM6v
— Yorkshire Museum (@YorkshireMuseum) April 17, 2020National Museums Scotland shared this monstrosity, which is supposed to be a mermaid.
Our #CreepiestObject has to be this ‘mermaid’... 😱💀🧜♀️ #CURATORBATTLE #TroublingTaxidermy pic.twitter.com/GMSosyuqIX
— Natural Sciences NMS (@NatSciNMS) April 17, 2020Unfortunately for us, they have more than one of these things.
Many museums have one but they usually look more like our other ‘mermaid’...
We have a little more information about this one: The posterior half was formed from a Pacific wrasse, & the head/thorax were sculpted, with fish jaw inserted in the mouth. #CreepiestObject pic.twitter.com/7MrPcaZqdh
— Natural Sciences NMS (@NatSciNMS) April 18, 2020Egham Museum has a collection of dolls that put most horror movies to shame.
Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, we present ....
MC 294
No need to thank us, it was honestly our pleasure #CURATORBATTLE #CreepiestObject pic.twitter.com/kgAA2ePMIr
— Egham Museum (@EghamMuseum) April 17, 2020The Victorians were crazy.
STEP ASIDE ALL.
These are hand-made models of figures playing cards and of gold miners hauling gold nuggets to the surface. BUT the figures are made from crab’s legs and claws… Typical Victorians, they loved weird/creepy stuff. #CreepiestObject pic.twitter.com/A5NHiPGnVh
— York Castle Museum (@YorkCastle) April 17, 2020WHAT. EVEN. IS. THIS.
We are not a museum, but we have so many creepy things in SOCH (a database for Swedish digital cultural heritage). One of my favourites: This cute little kitty cat (Speldosa, katt med harpa, 1906. Kulturen, CC BY-NC-ND). https://t.co/bSdazHIVX2 pic.twitter.com/ZDb2j9ug4v
— Larissa Borck (@Larissa_Borck) April 17, 2020Why?
Sheep's heart stuck with pins and nails and strung on a loop of cord. Made in South Devon, circa 1911, "for breaking evil spells", @Pitt_Rivers collections #CreepiestObject #CuratorBattle pic.twitter.com/z5vdCFCU4S
— Dan Hicks (@profdanhicks) April 17, 2020STOP.
Nice. We have a pigeon heart stuck with pins for punishing a witch...#CreepiestObject #CuratorBattle pic.twitter.com/CUOdNlB3eN
— SMT Collections Team (@SMT_Collections) April 17, 2020The Royal Armouries shared this horrifying mask used for public humiliation.
Turn the creep up to 💯 and check out this iron mask that was exhibited in the @TowerOfLondon as an Executioner's Mask. However, due to its grotesque appearance, we think it's more likely part of an elaborate scold’s bridle - an iron muzzle designed for public humiliation 😱 pic.twitter.com/1nG4mMZRex
— Royal Armouries (@Royal_Armouries) April 17, 2020"This severed lower leg by Kerry Jameson has sprouted its own legs and a rather beastly head," the York Art Gallery explains.
GUYS we know we have already won. This severed lower leg by Kerry Jameson has sprouted its own legs and a rather beastly head. @COCAYork #RethinkCeramics pic.twitter.com/Ip84aNacUX
— York Art Gallery (@YorkArtGallery) April 17, 2020Why does it look so evil?!
Live from the Toy Museum of Penshurst Place, we present the Drinking Bear. Feed it a 2 pence piece and it'll pretend to drink from its cup as it stares into your soul. #CuratorBattle #CreepiestObject pic.twitter.com/ohNl2974UJ
— Penshurst Place (@PenshurstPlace) April 17, 2020Thankfully no one is walking around in one of these plague masks nowadays.
Thanks for thinking of us @HottyCouture and wow, will we be having nightmares tonight with all these #CreepiestObject|s ! Here is the one we just can't hide from you, one of our many creepy gems – our Plague Mask (1650/1750)! #curatorbattle pic.twitter.com/JrMjqAJSIM
— Deutsches Historisches Museum (@DHMBerlin) April 17, 2020Imagine finding a mummified cat underneath your floorboards.
Ok so our entry for #creepiestobject is, of course, our mummified cat. It was found concealed in the floorboards above our State Room surrounded by a ring of hazelnut shells. The X-ray below was taken at a local vets (no one else had a machine big enough!) #CuratorBattle pic.twitter.com/O9nUoBp6gC
— York Mansion House (@YorkMansionHse) April 17, 2020Why would anyone make this thing?
In a lot of ways, we wish we could un-see this entire thread. And we most definitely cannot beat the hair bun. But we'll just leave this here... pic.twitter.com/rVSPVETSSP
— Ashmolean Museum (@AshmoleanMuseum) April 17, 2020The rocks have eyes.
Found on the Thames foreshore, I rest my case.#CreepiestObject pic.twitter.com/R21oLjyv3k
— Lara Maiklem (London Mudlark) (@LondonMudlark) April 17, 2020Terrifying.
Bringin’ our A-game for this #CURATORBATTLE! What is it? Just a CURSED CHILDREN’S TOY that we found inside the walls of a 155-year-old mansion. We call it “Wheelie” - and it MOVES ON ITS OWN: Staff put it in one place and find it in another spot later on…. #Creepiestobject pic.twitter.com/FQzMzacr8a
— PEI Museum (@PEIMuseum) April 17, 2020This one is straight out of a horror movie.
Can I offer up the 18th century diving suit from Raahe museum in Finland? pic.twitter.com/mP9FqB9uly
— Chris Beresford (@OuluRover) April 17, 2020Halloween costumes used to be a lot more terrifying.
As the only staff member at Red Lake Regional Heritage Centre (Ontario, Canada) with a Twitter, allow me to present creepy kids costumes for #CreepiestObject #CURATORBATTLE pic.twitter.com/u4LPWi0xjf
— Jenna Locke (@JennaLocke) April 20, 2020Nightmare fuel.
@RedHeadedAli how can we ignore such a call to arms?
This particular item has caused a few nightmares for our followers this week.
Our #CreepiestObject is...this pincushion! Complete with tiny children's heads. You're welcome, Twitter.#CURATORBATTLE pic.twitter.com/0YdmCE5dYD
— Norwich Castle (@NorwichCastle) April 17, 2020"Can I offer 'Tirpitz' here?" the Imperial War Museums asked. "Saved from drowning after her German ship sunk the South Pacific, served as a mascot on HMS Glasgow for the rest of the FWW, eventually auctioned off for pork (raising £1,785 for charity) in retirement. No wonder she looks like she's seen things."
Can I offer 'Tirpitz' here? Saved from drowning after her German ship sunk the South Pacific, served as a mascot on HMS Glasgow for the rest of the FWW, eventually auctioned off for pork (raising £1,785 for charity) in retirement. No wonder she looks like she's seen things. pic.twitter.com/gYdkvK60Yb
— Imperial War Museums (@I_W_M) April 17, 2020Japan was just as creepy as everyone else.
How about this Japanese ukiyo-e(woodblock prints) from @ukiyoeota Collections? This black creepy monster is biting off woman's HAIR! #CURATORBATTLE #CreepiestObject pic.twitter.com/nkbdodCKqj
— 太田記念美術館 (@ukiyoeota) April 21, 2020If there's one thing we won't miss during the rest of quarantine, it's these creepy objects.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7pbXSramam6Ses7p6wqikaKhfosK0sdSmZJyqlZq9qrHSrWSompqasLW%2F