The Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities, Fine Art & Unnatural History is a unique museum (and bar) in London, offering a bizarre and fascinating collection of oddities, from shrunken heads to taxidermy. Here’s why this quirky hidden gem by The Last Tuesday Society is a must-visit.
London has an absolute plethora of oddball and quirky places to visit, but one of my favourites has to be the Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities. Based in Hackney, this eclectic private collection-meets-absinthe bar is not for the faint-hearted but is absolutely a must-visit for anyone who is a fan of the dark and macabre.
Tucked away in East London, this isn’t your typical museum. Instead of neatly curated exhibits, you’ll find a chaotic mix of curiosities, from the bizarre to the downright unsettling, all packed into a space that feels more like stepping into a private collection than a traditional attraction.
From sipping cocktails in the Absinthe Parlour to descending into the museum itself, it’s an experience that’s as strange as it is fascinating.
What Is The Last Tuesday Society?
The Last Tuesday Society is an eccentric cultural organisation founded in 1873 by William James and brought to London in 2006 by Viktor Wynd and David Piper. Initially established as a platform for avant-garde events, art exhibitions, and surreal parties, the society quickly became known for its celebration of the bizarre, the eccentric, and the unconventional. Its events often blend art, performance, and lectures on obscure topics, attracting a community of like-minded individuals interested in the strange and unusual.
Unfortunately, I have yet to attend a live event, but I have tuned into many of their online zoom lectures. I last watched a fascinating lecture on haunted houses in the UK with Lena Heide-Brennand, which gave me lots of inspiration and places to add to my list!
In 2008, Viktor Wynd opened the society’s first premises in Hackney, housing an art gallery and a curiosity shop known as Viktor Wynd’s Little Shop of Horrors. Over time, the idea of a curiosity shop evolved into something much more immersive.
In 2014, following a successful crowdfunding campaign, the space was transformed into the Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities, Fine Art & Natural History, which opened on Halloween that year. Today, the museum houses a growing collection of unusual artefacts and curiosities, and the society continues to host events and exhibitions centred around the strange and the macabre.
What Is the Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities?
The Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities is a unique museum found beneath an eclectic cocktail bar in Hackney. Both run under The Last Tuesday Society, so most people visit both at the same time. The bar, The Absinthe Parlour, offers a range of curious cocktails surrounded by dark and peculiar decor. The Absinthe Parlour was opened in 2016 by Allison Crawbuck & Rhys Everet, who have gone on to launch the UK’s first Absinthe distillery: Devil’s Botany!
Even if you’re visiting just for the Museum of Curiosities, I’d highly recommend grabbing a drink in The Absinthe Parlour first (if even just for Dutch courage!). Enjoying a drink here is more like an experience, one that allows you to prepare for the curiosities below and revel in the eccentric atmosphere around you. It really helps set the scene for what comes next.
Once you’ve enjoyed a tipple, it’s time to descend the gold winding staircase into the basement and into the Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities.
(If you’re feeling brave enough, you can even take your beverage downstairs with you and enjoy a drink with a skeleton in the aptly named Sarcophagus Chamber…)
Inside the Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities
The Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities is one of London’s most bizarre and unique museums. Its eclectic collection goes far beyond the traditionally spooky, delving into the downright strange, with exhibits including mummified fairies, human skulls, shrunken heads, occult objects, surrealist artefacts and fetish relics. Some of it definitely isn’t for the faint-hearted. Though the museum itself is small, there’s a huge amount to take in, and it pairs perfectly with a visit to the Absinthe Parlour.
I’d recommend visiting yourself to see everything on display, as I couldn’t possibly list it all! I’d also recommend keeping an eye on their events, as Viktor himself often offers guided tours of the museum.
As you can see, the Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities is so much more than just a bar and museum.
If you’re interested in unusual museums, Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein in Bath is another great one to visit.
Spooky Tips for Visiting
Thinking of visiting this curious museum? Here’s everything you need to know.
Location: The museum is located in Hackney, East London, and is easily reached by public transport or taxi from central London.
Time Needed: Although it’s a small museum, there’s a lot to take in, so it’s worth allowing at least a couple of hours to explore properly, especially if you plan to enjoy a drink in The Absinthe Parlour.
Cost: Admission is £12.00, with discounted tickets available on Thursdays or for £6.00 if you have a bar reservation. Entry to The Absinthe Parlour itself is free, though reservations are strongly recommended.
Accessibility & Suitability: Under 18s can visit with a parent or guardian before 5pm, but the museum may not be suitable for younger visitors. Exhibits include taxidermy, erotica, and human remains, so it’s definitely not for everyone.
Final Thoughts From a Morbid Tourist
The Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities – and the Absinthe Parlour – is one of my favourite lesser-known spots in London. It’s unusual, fascinating, and somewhere that really sticks with you after you leave. Between you and me, it also makes a great date spot – it’s quirky and definitely memorable.
If you enjoy anything curious, oddball or weird, you will absolutely love this museum. The collection is constantly evolving, and with events taking place throughout the year, it’s the kind of place you could return to again and again without getting bored. If I lived in London, I’d be there all the time.
The Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities
www.thelasttuesdaysociety.org
11 Mare St, London E8 4RP
£12.00 per adult
The museum is closed on Mondays and bar reservations are strongly reserved. Whilst walk up tickets are available for the museum, it’s worth checking online first as it’s often used for events. There are toliets on site and the bar serves light bites and bar snacks. The closest tube station is Bethnal Green.
This sounds just up my street.
I would also recommend the Hunterian Museum
Hey Chris, let me know what you think if you do decide to go! I haven’t yet made it to the Hunterian Museum but it’s definitely on my list 🖤