The Smithsonian is commonly referred to as the nation’s attic, and for good reasons. From Abe Lincoln’s top hat, to a full scale T-Rex, to Hippopotamuses it’s no wonder we can offer so many different hunts spanning a variety of museums—from the Museum of Natural History, to the Air and Space Museum, to the American Art Museum, to the National Zoo and even to the National Museum of American Indian in New York on our Wall Street Museums Hunt.
With all that’s on display, imagine the gems kept behind the scene. With curiosities piqued, we investigated and dug up a few… rather interesting objects kept in the “attic.”
Clean your hands with this
Soapman was discovered while workers were laying the foundation of a Pennsylvania railroad. Water and soil seeped into this man’s casket, but the soil contained special minerals that created a chemical reaction, mummifying his body fat into soap. He now resides at the Museum of Natural History research lab.
This is no knock-knock joke
Before mailboxes were around, letters were hand delivered, but knocking on doors all day, every day, was a bit hard on the knuckles. Thus mailmen were armed with handy doorknockers. They can be viewed at the National Postal Museum. We wanted to insert a photo, but when we Googled knockers…
Combing attractions!
Hans Langseth joined the circus thanks to his 18-and-a-half-foot-long beast of a beard. Upon his death, relatives chopped off the beard and donated it to the Natural History Museum.
Unfortunately there are no plans to put these objects on display, but worry not because what you can see is still pretty awesome. Some oddities include a listening device disguised as poop, a $100,000 bill and a “shady” trip to the moon. Search through the fascinating displays by going on a scavenger hunt that will point you towards intriguing art, artifacts and animals.
See our calendar for the full hunt schedule. Interested in a private party? We do that too—any where, any location. Contact us today to find more fun!