A museum devoted to bloodsuckers!
Massive swollen testicles, gross out displays and a recreation of an 8.8-meter-long tapeworm are just some of the delights on display at Meguro Parasitological Museum.
Meguro Parasitological Museum is the world’s only museum devoted exclusively to parasites! The museum maintains 45,000 parasite specimens. But collecting, organizing and maintaining specimens is only one of its tasks. The museum established in 1953 also carries out research, provides educational instruction on parasites and parasitology, publishes documents in the field and analayzes and sells specimens for educational purposes.
There’s also a shop on the second floor selling all sorts of parasite parapharnelia, none of which is repulsive enough to gross anybody out, but decent enough nonetheless to attract me to hand over a 10,000 note for barely any change.
I’ve known about this place for years and have wanted to visit since I first learned about it in the mid-1990s. I finally got around to it yesterday (May 10). I have to say my overall opinion is that it’s a little disappointing. But I must add that the disappointment I felt came more from the high expectations I had taken into the place more than anything lacking about it. And a group of rude parents with screaming kids didn’t make my visit any pleasanter.
Though on a seven floor building, only the first two floors have displays and many of the parasites look similar, so it becomes a case of “seen one, seen ‘em all.” There was a lot of panel displays, which were well made, easy to understand (if you read Japanese) and interesting.
And entry to the museum is free, while the only restrictions on photography are of the souvenirs.
I guess I’d recommend this place for a look around if you’ve got a free afternoon in central Tokyo with nothing else better to do.
