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The Meguro Parasitological Museum in Tokyo is a strange medical museum dedicated to parasites and parasitology, with around 300 species on display, including the world’s longest tapeworm. The museum attracts 70,000 visitors annually and has a research library and gift shop.
If you were to compile a list of the strangest museums in the world, you should undoubtedly include the Meguro Parasitological Museum. This quirky medical museum in central Tokyo is dedicated to the world’s parasites and the science of parasitology. There are around 300 species of parasites on display, including the star of the collection – the world’s longest tapeworm, a 29-foot (8.8m) specimen – technically, Diphyllobothrium nihonkaiense – which was actually extracted from a human male. Some 70,000 people visit the unusual museum each year, eager to see the rare parasites collected by its founder, Dr. Satoru Kamegai, who has been sharing his life’s work since 1953.
Tapeworm history:
The tapeworm exhibit includes a 29-foot (8.8m) ribbon — the same size as the world’s longest tapeworm — that viewers can handle to get a sense of the mega-parasite’s enormity.
The research library contains 60,000 parasite specimens, as well as 50,000 articles and 5,000 books on parasitology.
If you visit, be sure to stop by the gift shop for an array of vermin-themed T-shirts, keychains, and birthday cards.
