Leila’s Hair Museum In Missouri Just Might Be The Strangest Roadside Attraction Yet
Sometimes a leisurely drive, with no destination in particular in mind, can result in some pretty amazing finds. After all, Missouri’s home to a ton of unique roadside attractions – from the World’s Largest Rocking Chair in Cuba to the JCPenney Museum in Hamilton. For one of the most unique roadside attractions, plan a visit to Leila’s Hair Museum in Missouri.
Carve out at least a few hours for your visit to Leila’s Hair Museum in Independence, a one-of-a-kind destination that you really have to experience at least once.
The brainchild of Leila Cohoon, the hair museum first debuted in 1986 as a way to showcase a collection of antique hair, often used to make wreaths and jewelry.
Billed as the only museum of its kind in the world, Leila’s Hair Museum offers a peek into the past and at how people once remembered those who have passed away.
Hair wreaths were once used to commemorate a loved one’s life after her passing with the wreath sometimes featuring the individual’s birthdate and the death date.
During the Victorian period, when hair wreaths were particularly popular, many also purchased hair jewelry as a way to remember those they had lost. Jewelers used the hair in such pieces as brooches and bracelets.
Leila’s Hair Museum showcases a collection of hair wreaths and jewelry that include such historic names as Queen Victoria, Marilyn Monroe, and Michael Jackson.
You can also get a glimpse of historic brooches, rings, and bracelets. Leila’s collection includes thousands of hair jewelry pieces and hundreds of hair wreaths, many of which you can see up-close.
Have you been to Leila’s Hair Museum in Missouri? What’d you think? Share your experience in the comments! Here are some more really unique roadside attractions in Missouri you might also want to check out.
Address: 1333 S Noland Rd, Independence, MO 64055, USA
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