Oddities Museum Style "Mummies"

Kenny has always been a fan of the classic "Oddities Museum" (a.k.a. Dime Museum), making them a manitory stop during any vacation or roadtrip. Over the years, Kenny has noticed that many of the alleged mummies being displayed all appeared very similar to one another, despite being spread throughout different museums across the country. With a little research (via YouTube), Kenny found the rather easy techniques for creating these oddities. It turns out many are "mummified" Halloween decorations - from bats and fairies to mermaids and skulls. Using dollar-store plastic decorations as a base, Kenny applied wood stain to help darken the "skeletons," which gives them an aged look. Next, a layer of "skin" (shrink wrap) was applied then shrunk/melted with a heat gun. For the bat wings, liquid latex was painted onto a cake pan and, after dried, peeked off and wrapped over the wing bones, glues into place with a hot glue gun. For the wings of the fairy, metal wire was shaped into bones and a layer or two of shrink wrap was lightly heated to give it a "dried, shriveled up" look. The three "mummies" in the case took about two hours to complete. 

Ancient Roman Bronze Ring

This item was purchased from an antiques dealer in Gettysburg, Pa. This ancient ring dates to between the 1st and 3rd century. The main design features a pentagram, which to the Romans and Greeks, this symbolized the five elements of man, while early Christians wore the symbol to represent the five wounds of Christ. 
*The ring is not for sale. The card is from the shop were it was purchased, and was kept for the history. 

Wiccan Cleansing Kit

Purchased from a Wiccan practitioner, it contains eveything one needs to properly cleanse one's home. 

Bigfoot Poop

Yes, this is a novelty. But it's a funny one.

Medicine Bottles from Philadelphia State Hospital (Byberry)

These medicine containers were obtained from the abandoned Philadelphia State Hospital, known locally as Byberry Hospital. This was a psychiatric hospital located on either side of Roosevelt Boulevard and Byberry Road in northeast Philadelphia, Pa. The hospital operated from 1907 to December 1987. Reports of patient abuse throughout the 1980s and multiple failure of state inspections led to its eventual closing. After closing its doors, urban explorers descended on the large complex, many of which reported encountering the ghosts of patients. These ghosts were witnessed in various states of agony: screaming in pain or fighting off invisible opponents. During the 1990s, Kenny ventured through the buildings and discovered several rooms containing huge piles of various medicine bottles. By 2006, the abandoned building were completely demolished. These containers are among the very few artifacts that remain of the hospital. 

First Ward School Haunted Coal

In the late 1800's, due to overcrowding in Wisconsin Rapids public schools, the Board of Education met and agreed to build a new school in the first ward district. The school was finished in 1896 and contained four large classrooms, which were heated by a huge coal furnace. In 1921 the roof of the school caught fire from one the embers from the coal furnace going out of the chimney and landing on the roof. The paranormal activity reported at the school include apparitions and shadow people and the sounds of children laughing and giggling. The coal in this package is said to give off an electromagnetic field that can be read on a meter. 

Kenny immediately tested this claim, borrowing an EMF meter from a group he was friendly with. No readings were registered.

Homeopathic Moon Infused Water

Truly a rare novelty, this glass vial of water was created by mentalist Mark Edward. Just like all other homeopathic water, this vial contains nothing more than ordinary tap water. It cannot be "infused" with moonlight. However, Mark Edward is a professional in showmanship and presentation. Putting water is a glass vial, adding the labels, and including the document from The Annemann Institute...makes this ordinary 25ml of water take on a mystical quality that would cause people to spend $40 or more for ordinary tap water. 

Bigfoot Research Kit

This novelty kit was acquired in New Hope, Pa. It contains bags, flags, charts, and more. It's just a novelty item, but it's pretty cool.

Zak Bagans (NOT) Haunted Museum Tickets

In 2018 Kenny visited the well-known "Zak Bagans Haunted Museum," along with his wife, Susan Gerbic (GSoW) and Mark Edward (Mentalist). Although there was a lot of hype associated with this museum, it suffered from an overly rushed pace, embellished and/or fabricated information, and an overdramatic sense of ego from the owner. During the tour, one lucky (or unlucky) guest can spend an additional $1 on the custom made "Zak Bagans" Zoltar machine (yes, he had one made in his image). The white ticket is what I received, offering an 'easter-egg' clue for later in the tour.

You can read my full review by clicking on The Not-So-Haunted Museum Of Zak Bagans

Ghost Slime

This little novelty was a gift from my friend, Ben Radford (Deputy Editor of Skeptical Inquirer). I have no idea what the substance is inside, nor do I feel an urge to open it.