Posted in Boston
February 24, 2018
Here Are The 9 Weirdest Places You Can Possibly Go In Boston
One person’s kooky is another person’s cool, and Boston certainly has some unique buildings and attractions. From abandoned to tiny, you’ll discover lots of one-of-a-kind spots tucked away in our city. If you find the offbeat alluring, add these 9 weird places to your Boston bucket list:

You expect to encounter the odd eccentric professor at a prestigious college, but an eccentric building? This structure seems like the architectural version of a Salvador Dali painting, and it's one of those places you either love or loathe. To me, this Frank Gehry-designed building is wonderfully whimsical and rebellious. Head to building 32 on the MIT Campus map and form your own opinion!

Walk into the center of the earth in The Mapparium, a three-story high, stained glass orb that depicts the world as is appeared in 1935. If you ever wondered what it would be like to stand inside a globe, you can find out at this unique attraction. The Mapparium is inside the Mary Baker Eddy Library at 200 Massachusetts Avenue in Boston.

This spot in the North End is essentially one man's private shrine that can be viewed from the street. Peter Baldassari has adorned the alley between 4 and 8 Battery Street with figurines and artwork, all relating to saints. It's quite the sight to behold.

We're used to spotting these vehicles trundling past Boston landmarks but, if you stop to think about it, they're pretty weird - and I'm not just referring to the random quacking. A jacked-up vehicle that can transition into a boat is an oddity in a civilian setting. Sure, these amphibious landing vehicles made sense in World War II, but whoever first thought of using them for tourism was a kooky genius. Do yourself a favor and, the next time you have out-of-town guests, hop on board with them. Tours run from several different locations throughout the city.

Ducks aren't the only quirky creatures in Boston. If you happen to walk - or get turned around - in Long Crouch Woods, you may stumble upon abandoned bear dens. The bears used to be part of Franklin Park Zoo and, after the attraction closed, the cages were left behind. It's weird but awesome that the bears had such ornate stonework to appreciate, but the rusted bars and remote-feeling setting make this spot a little creepy, too. You'll find it inside Franklin Park, a little ways off Seaver Street.

Welcome to Boston's very own spite house. The Skinny House is what happens when one sibling betrays the other - and vice versa. According to the story, two brothers inherited their father's land. While one son was serving in the Civil War, his brother constructed a home on almost the whole lot. When the other son returned from the war, he was furious and built this tiny house in order to block light from his sibling's home. The Skinny House is located at 44 Hull Street in Boston's North End.

This museum is known for medical oddities, including one skull in particular. Phineas Gage was a railroad employee who lived through an accident during which an iron rod went right through his head. His case study provided doctors with new information about how the human brain works and you can see his skull inside this museum at 10 Shattuck Street in Boston.

Speaking of skulls, the baby heads at the Museum of Fine Arts can certainly catch visitors off guard. These sculptures are around eight feet high, weigh 1.6 tons, and give the appearance that infants are sprouting from the ground. Spanish sculptor Antonio Lopez Garcia crafted the works, which many consider innocent and playful.

What has to be the tiniest museum on the planet can be found in Somerville, a city with the second highest number of artists per capita in the whole nation! This teeny museum features local art, and one of its goals is to make art accessible for all. You'll find The Museum at 72½ Union Square in Somerville.
What weird places in and around Boston would you add to this list? Let us know in the comments!