Travel Secrets Nov-Dec 2015 | Page 74

OFFBEAT MUSEUMS The Instant Ramen Museum, Osaka, Japan Kuala Lumpur Butterfly Park, Malaysia Who says museums have to be about dead animals in dusty display cases? The Butterfly Park in Kuala Lumpur is one of the largest of its kind, clocking in at 80,000 square feet of landscaped garden and over 5,000 live butterflies. What better way to learn about living creatures than to see them in action? Source: www.jattdisite.com If you trace the origins of instant noodles, you’ll end up at Osaka Prefecture city of Ikeda the birthplace of instant noodles, The Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum. This museum is practically a historical monument to Japan’s food culture. It introduces visitors to the importance of invention and discovery through informative exhibits and fun hands-on workshops like the Chicken Ramen Factory and the My Cupnoodles Factory. Decorate the container, pick your toppings, and roll your own noodles. Voila! The ultimate souvenir for you. Source: www.imagecollectiononline.com Museum of Bad Art, Massachusetts, USA Since 1994, the Museum of Bad Art has been dedicated to bad art. It is only through the efforts of the worldwide Friends of MOBA that they have been able to carry out their mission: to bring the worst of art to the widest of audiences. MOBA maintains its website as well as three bricks-and-mortar galleries, all in Boston. Through travelling exhibits, special events, and changing exhibits, they share the best bad art ever assembled in their museums. Source: www.ibtimes.com The Museum of Broken Relationships, CROATIA The Museum of Broken Relationships, which started as a travelling exhibition, is based on the idea of failed relationships. What sets it apart is its interactive quality— everyday individuals donate ordinary objects representing their broken relationship along with a story, from a glass horse souvenir to an unexplained pair of fuzzy pink handcuffs. These exhibits offer the chance for individuals to publicly recognise their hurt and overcome emotional collapse by donating to the museum’s collection. Source: www.brokenships.com 74  Travel Secrets November-December 2015