Smithsonian's Weirdest

Smithsonian's Weirdest

Look beyond the Hope Diamond and Lincoln's stove top hat, and you'll discover that, along with beautiful and celebrated treasures, the Smithsonian Institution also houses items that are bizarre, revolting, and downright weird. Take a fun and informative look at ten wondrous and unusual artifacts, from the Soap Man (a man mummified in soap) to a million-year-old sample of giant sloth dung!

The Secret Life of Robber Crabs

Imagine a crab that can crawl into your home and shoplift silverware! No wonder they're called "robber" crabs.

There's MORE to the story. Discover the inspirations, see the artifacts and meet the experts of the Smithsonian Institution.

  • WEIRD WATER CREATURES

    Ichthyology is not as weird as it sounds; it's the study of fishes. That being said, Smithsonian researchers have quite a collection of weird fishes. Learn more about ichthyology at the Smithsonian.

    Connect to Smithsonian: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History