If you’ve ever found yourself scrolling through Twitter and getting lost in the strange, bizarre, and often unsettling history, you’re not alone. The “Museum of Curiosities” Twitter page is a treasure trove of strange, thought-provoking, and sometimes disturbing facts that highlight the quirks of the past. Below, we’ve compiled 15 of the most shocking, disturbing, and bizarre facts shared by the account—get ready to be amazed and a little creeped out!
1. Goldie Williams’ Mugshot, 1898
Goldie Williams’ mugshot from 1898 stands out not only because of her rebellious spirit but also for its context. Arrested for her defiant attitude, she exudes an aura of cheeky confidence. Her arrest before the turn of the century, complete with mutton sleeves and a dramatic pose, is a reminder of the daring souls that challenged society’s norms, though we’re left wondering how the authorities felt about it!
2. Moving Houses in the 1950s
Imagine this: you’re moving homes, but instead of packing up, you simply lift the entire house and move it. It might sound unbelievable, but during the 1950s, houses were picked up and moved across land and water by boat. The question remains: why did we stop using such an efficient method for preserving old homes? It could have saved so much architectural history!
3. The Birth of Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola’s early days were quite different from the soda we know today. Originally sold as a medicinal tonic, it was nothing like the sweet, bubbly drink it became. It started in syrup form, and consumers had to dilute it with water. Imagine going to a store today and being told to dilute your soda before drinking it!
4. What Did the Future Hold in the Victorian Era?
Victorians had some pretty wild ideas about the future. One prediction, which was that we’d be walking on water by the year 2000, speaks volumes about their forward-thinking mindset. It’s fascinating to think about how different life was back then compared to now, especially considering the enormous strides in technology and transportation we’ve made in such a short time.
5. Cephalpod Chatelaine, 1800s
Fashion takes strange turns in history, and the 1800s were no exception. This peculiar octopus-themed chatelaine, worn by women to hold useful items like scissors and watches, shows just how bizarre fashion could get. The idea of carrying an octopus as part of your outfit is odd by today’s standards, but it was all the rage at the time.
6. Strict Diets for Priests
Being a priest during certain periods of history wasn’t just a matter of spiritual dedication—it was also about strict, controlled diets. While priests had food to eat, they were often denied indulgences and had to follow rigorous diets. Imagine the difficulty of resisting temptations like potato chips today, but for monks and priests, it was a way of life!
7. Unsinkable Sam
“Unsinkable Sam” was a cat who miraculously survived multiple shipwrecks during the 1940s. Despite the odds, this feline survived three different naval disasters. The cat’s extraordinary survival skills were so legendary that it became a symbol of good luck for sailors.
8. Ken’s Buddy, Allan
Ken, Barbie’s ever-present companion
, was actually designed to be somewhat of an afterthought. The doll created as a “buddy” for Ken, named Allan, was introduced to keep Ken company. Despite his role as Ken’s sidekick, Allan was often overshadowed and only gained fame recently through the Barbie movies.
9. Wacky Lion Taxidermy
A taxidermist’s bizarre lion creation from 1731 illustrates how some early explorers and craftsmen had little understanding of wildlife, leading them to create wildly inaccurate and often humorous depictions of animals. Without photography or travel, their interpretations of creatures like lions were often strange and outlandish.
10. Martinware, 1880
In the 1880s, the Victorians had a deep fascination with death and the macabre, which is reflected in the bizarre and creepy pottery items they cherished. Martinware, a type of strange pottery featuring dark themes, is a prime example of how the Victorians found beauty in the unconventional, including death-inspired designs.
11. Vintage German Toy
Germany, known for its efficient manufacturing, was once a top producer of unusual toys. One vintage toy—a piggy that doesn’t look too pleased to be ridden—is a testament to how sometimes, the design choices of the past could be strange, to say the least. It’s a reminder that even toy-making had its weird moments!
12. Skeleton Rocking Chair
Imagine a rocking chair with skeletons entwined around it. This “death-themed” furniture, popular in the Victorian era, would certainly raise eyebrows today. It’s baffling to think that such macabre pieces were once considered desirable heirlooms for families.
13. Inter 175A Berline Micro, 1956
In 1956, a French company designed a bizarre vehicle that looked more like a cross between a car and an airplane. The Inter 175A Berline Micro had an aeronautical-inspired design with a tilting canopy, but it was more motorcycle than automobile. It was small, strange, and definitely not something you’d expect to see on modern streets.
14. Miniature Articulated Skeleton, 1890s
Victorians had an odd obsession with death, reflected in the miniature skeletons they kept as collectibles. This small articulated gold skeleton from the 1890s is a strange artifact, embodying the culture’s fixation with the inevitability of death—and people still pay hefty amounts for such morbid reminders today.
15. Cat Pawprint on Manuscript, 1100s
Finally, even in the 1100s, cats were clearly unbothered by the importance of human work. A pawprint left on an ancient manuscript shows that cats have always been indifferent to the hustle and bustle of human life. Their unapologetic attitude toward our responsibilities seems to have remained unchanged over the centuries!
These facts, curated by the “Museum of Curiosities,” are strange, fascinating, and a little disturbing. They remind us that history is full of bizarre moments, and not everything in the past was as it seems!
