International Museum of Cryptozoology

Portland


Bigfoot, yetis, specter moose and other cryptids share the spotlight at this one-of-a-kind museum. Cryptids are animals thought by mainstream science to, er, not really exist; this place contends they do. Evidence includes yeti fur and casts of Bigfoot footprints. Honestly, this small museum's content, while amusing, could fit two or three rooms in a house, so this is really for super fans of weird stuff. Get a photo of yourself beside the furry, 9ft-tall Bigfoot.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Portland attractions

1. Tate House Museum

1.14 MILES

This home preserves the Colonial residence of George Tate, Maine's last British 'mast agent' (mast agents procured New England white pine trees as…

2. Portland Museum of Art

1.44 MILES

Founded in 1882, this well-respected museum houses an outstanding collection of American artists. Maine artists, including Winslow Homer, Edward Hopper,…

3. Children's Museum & Theatre of Maine

1.48 MILES

Kids aged zero to 10 years shriek and squeal as they haul traps aboard a replica lobster boat, milk a fake cow on a model farm, operate a sound studio, or…

4. Victoria Mansion

1.52 MILES

This Italianate palace, whose exterior would work well in a Tim Burton movie, dates back to 1860. Inside it's sumptuously decorated with rich furniture,…

5. Institute of Contemporary Art

1.53 MILES

This small gallery, attached to the Maine College of Art, showcases an ever-shifting slate of modern artists, and hosts frequent readings, workshops, pop…

6. Longfellow House

1.58 MILES

The revered American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–82) grew up in this Federal-style house, built in 1785 by his Revolutionary War–hero…

7. Main Library

1.64 MILES

The main branch of the Portland Public Library is located within the 83,000-sq-ft Baxter Building, an architectural gem that cleverly utilizes vast glass…

8. Loring Memorial Park

2.29 MILES

This small art installation honors a local fighter pilot who fought in WWII and Korea. Four 9ft-high granite standing stones inscribed with virtues…