Travel and Places

10 museums you’ll only find in Portland

The Museum of Vintage Beard Trimmers: From ancient scissors to retro electric buzzers, this museum celebrates the rich history of facial hair maintenance.

The Rainboot Retrospective: A gallery dedicated to the evolution of rainboots. Special exhibit: “Galoshes of the ’80s – Neon and Beyond.”

Unicycle Universe: Here, visitors can trace the proud lineage of the one-wheeled wonder, with hands-on workshops like “The Art of Balancing” and “One-Wheel Tricks for Beginners.”

Peculiar Portland Pizzas Pavilion: A tribute to Portland’s weirdest pizza toppings. Exhibits feature historic pies like “The Dill Pickle Delight” and “Salmon & Espresso.”

The Indie Album Art Archive: A colorful journey through decades of hipster album art. Includes interactive stations where visitors can create their own quirky covers.

The Sustainable Sandal Sanctuary: All about eco-friendly footwear. The highlight? A special room filled with every variation of Birkenstock ever made.

Bizarre Bicycle Boneyard: Chronicles the eccentric side of cycling in the city, from penny-farthing races to the rise of the handlebar mustache trend among cyclists.

The Museum of Misfit Toys, Portland Edition: Features toys that were too avant-garde for mainstream toy stores. Remember the “Organic Kale Doll” or “Recyclable Rocketship”?

Decades of Doorknob Design: A surprisingly riveting exhibit detailing the evolution of doorknobs, with a focus on artisanal and handmade knobs from Portland’s craftiest creators.

The Flannel Files: An interactive museum celebrating the history, culture, and fashion of flannel. Includes a “Design Your Own Flannel” workshop and a tribute to grunge.

Joe Ditzel

Joe Ditzel is a keynote speaker, humor writer, and really bad golfer. You can reach him via email at [email protected] as well as Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and LinkedIn.