Disgusting Food Museum Opens in Sweden

Halloween was rung in in a different way in Malmo, Sweden. A ‘Disgusting Food Museum’ was opened, showcasing some of the most revolting ‘dishes’ one can imagine.

The Museum has a collection of over 80 items of food considered exotic in different places around the world, and disgusting everywhere else. These include Sheep Eyeball Juice, Bull testicles, Mice wine, partially developed Duck Fetus, Cheese with Maggots, American root beer, Frog Smoothies, and Canned Pork Brains.

Since the food is revolting enough to make one vomit, the museum fittingly provides Vomit bags as tickets.

The idea behind the museum, however, is not only to ensure ruined appetites for its visitors, but to nurture an environment of understanding different perceptions toward food.

Disgust For a Cause

Says the Curator Samuel West, “Disgust is hardwired as an emotion but what we find disgusting is culturally learned…It’s an exhibition that asks visitors to challenge their notions of what is disgusting and what is delicious, and the aim is to get people to understand there is no objective measure of disgust. For some, the revelation might be that ‘maybe insects aren’t as disgusting as I thought.”

West says that broadening our minds to include unusual sources of nutrition was the aim behind the museum, and that the idea came to him with the awareness that the “single most impactful way we can impact the environment is by eating less meat.”

A museum of food comes with its own problems. “Real food in the museum setting can be a problem,” said Andreas Ahrens, museum director and curator. “You have to change things pretty regularly. You have to make sure that it doesn’t start to rot.”

However, if you still find that you have a sound appetite after you’ve finished your visit, the museum is soon opening a restaurant in the building. Rest assured, they’ve given their word that there will be no ‘disgusting food there. If you want souvenirs of your visit to the museum, the museum shop houses ‘unusual food and drink’ for sale.

Read more about it here.