The lockdown has stopped most of us from visiting museums and watching the mesmerizing artifacts that they house. So, museums across the world came up with a very interesting challenge to keep the art enthusiasts engaged.
And what was this challenge about?
Museums across the world took to Twitter to display the most creepy, weird, and terrifying items in their collections! And these pictures of artifacts are certainly going to make you feel happy for staying home!
So, it started with the Yorkshire Museum in York, England launching a worldwide contest, challenging curators from museums across the world to share the creepiest objects in their collection with the hashtag #CreepiestObject. And the results were terrifying, to say in the least.
It came up with an item itself – a 3rd-4th Century hair bun from the burial of a Roman lady with the jet pins still in place!
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, 2020
And, this prompted responses from museums across the world!
Here is the Natural Sciences Museum in Scotland coming up with a not-so-pleasant taxidermy of a monkey-fish hybrid!
Our #CreepiestObject has to be this ‘mermaid’… ???♀️ #CURATORBATTLE #TroublingTaxidermy pic.twitter.com/GMSosyuqIX
— Natural Sciences NMS (@NatSciNMS) April 17, 2020
The Egham Museum in the United Kingdom brought about this ghastly artifact.
Imagine rummaging through an archive and unwrapping this ?
MC 490A: Broken Dolls head in many parts with fair hair c.1920
Found on the grounds of @StJudesHead. Let’s hope they treat the pupils better ?#CuratorBattle #CreepiestObject pic.twitter.com/J5aVRNuSo6
— Egham Museum (@EghamMuseum) April 17, 2020
And here is an antidote to evil spells – a sheep’s heart is struck with pins and nails!! Can things get creepier than this?
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, 2020
We don’t know whether we’d ever be able to unsee this one! A severed leg that sprouted its own legs and head!!!
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, 2020
The Toy Museum of Penshurst Place put up something really appalling. A drinking bear, anyone?
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, 2020
The Deutsches Historisches Museum in Berlin put up a Plague Mask!!!
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, 2020
We can’t decide whether this one by Fairfax House is creepy, disgusting, or just weird! A silver snuffbox that contains the pubic hair of one of the mistresses of George IV!
Just had a thought. Not our object but we did once borrow a silver snuffbox from @MuseumsUniStA that is said to contain the pubic hair of one of George IV’s mistresses.
Yes that’s right a pubic hair snuffbox.#CURATORBATTLE #creepiestobject pic.twitter.com/ePGY8eJ22R
— Fairfax House (@fairfax_house) April 17, 2020
Which one do you think is the creepiest of all?
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