5 Abandoned Museums That Were Once-Thriving Gems

There is nothing creepier than an abandoned building that was once the site of learning, fun, and exploration. Whether it's an old mall that no longer offers shopping and dining, a defunct movie theater that used to delight audiences, or a once-thriving gold rush town that no longer has residents, abandoned buildings are melancholic, but also fascinating. One location, however, that you may not expect to be abandoned is a museum. We searched for five sadly cool and sometimes creepy abandoned museums, including the Mammoth Cave Wax Museum in Cave City, Kentucky, The Haunted Museum in Mapperley, England, the National Slavery Museum in Fredericksburg, Virginia, the Rubjerg Knude Lighthouse in Løkken, Denmark, and the Ontario Science Centre in Toronto, Canada.

Some of these museums have or are in the process of moving to new locations, so their collections and displays aren't gone forever. Others are simply bereft of people and care, overgrown and falling down. Interestingly, one of these museums is still open to the public. What these buildings all have in common, however, is that there is no longer anyone there to roam the open spaces and immerse themselves in unique exhibits.

In Cave City, Kentucky, you'll find one of "America's most disappointing tourist attractions," which is the Mammoth Cave system. The site's funny Facebook postings, which capitalize on the "disappointing" label, have actually succeeded in attracting more visitors. Another nearby location, however, didn't survive. The Mammoth Cave Wax Museum closed down in 2011, according to a site called Quasi-Interesting Paraphernalia Inc., which posted a museum brochure from the early 1980s. The Yelp page with the museum's final review is from 2011, where a reviewer wrote, "The museum has a dated, dusty feel to it ... it's been around since the '70s and hasn't changed much since then."

The museum once had wax figures like Daniel Boone, some founding fathers, Jesus, and early movie stars including, Charlie Chaplin and Jean Harlow. When it closed, there was an auction for the figures, and Chaplin wax figure was reportedly sold for around $25,000. In 2019, a YouTuber called The Carpetbagger went back in to see what was left. The inside was largely empty, other than a few items like a flag-covered coffin and a vase. However, outside, in the back of the building, were a bunch of wax or mannequin heads and bodies, as well as some Pilgrim-style shoes. We apologize for the nightmares that description will give you tonight.

Our next pick is a museum that never got off the ground despite creating some displays. In 2001, former Virginia governor Douglas Wilder — the first Black man to serve as governor in United States history — announced plans to create a National Slavery Museum in Fredericksburg. Fundraising and artifact acquisition began, and work on the walkable Spirit of Freedom Garden started, featuring evocative and heartbreaking items like a replica of a slave auction block. However, funding fell through and tax exempt status was denied. The garden was the only thing that was built and, eventually, plans for the museum fell through sometime between 2007 and 2008, around the time of the 2008 financial crisis.

The garden, which featured a walkway with signs, some of which are still there and in rough shape, sits off a dead end street. You can still see what's left of the garden path that was created, along with a few other replicas. However, the signs have largely been wrecked by weather and are hard to read. It's overgrown now, so if you do try to visit, be careful where you step. 

If spooky is the way you like your abandoned places, there is a former Haunted Museum in Mapperley, a suburb in Nottingham, England. Once run by Steve Wesson, the museum opened in 2018 and was housed in a former cinema. However, it faced winter weather damage, structural damage, and the pandemic, ultimately closing in June of 2021. YouTuber BeardedReality went in to see what was left in late 2025 after an earlier attempt found it closed.

The former Haunted Museum apparently did find another life, as the channel allegedly found what looks like a cannabis-growing area. In April 2024, two men were indeed arrested for growing cannabis on the abandoned property; they were subsequently sentenced to 18 months in jail. As for what remained, items like a hangman's tree, a paranormal toy box, and a "bloody" seance room that was at the top of some stairs can still be found there amongst the rubble. You can even see the old cinema room. Although there are still some abandoned items there, Wesson opened the Museum of Curiosities in 2026 (also in Nottingham), where you can still scare yourself silly. 

Our next pick was only a museum for a short period in the life of the building. The Rubjerg Knude Lighthouse was built along the North Sea in Løkken, Denmark back in 1899. It stood in the sand, helping to keep ships safe until 1968. Later in its life, in 1980, the lighthouse became a museum and also housed a café, featuring information about the history of the building, as well as how the migrating sand dunes were gradually eroding the cliff. In 2002, the sands finally took over the site and the building closed down; the museum then moved to Strandfogedgården. 

However, that isn't the end of the story. This building that has had more than one life now has another. In 2019, the building was hoisted onto rails and moved 230 feet inland to keep it from disappearing into the sands of time. The lighthouse is open all day and night for the entire year. There are two free parking lots and a short trail to the building, which you can also enter without paying an admission fee. It's recommended as a great spot to watch the sunrise and sunset, which is lovely for a building on its third life. 

Our final pick just closed for good in June of 2024. The Ontario Science Centre in Toronto, Canada was once the home of science exhibits and children's programs. The museum opened in 1969, but in recent years, snow loads and other issues caused deterioration of the roof. There were electrical, elevator, and other issues as well, so it was shut down. However, a new location is in progress, the construction of which is projected, as of February 2026, to cost $1.04 billion Canadian (almost $750 USD) according to Canadian Architect. 

While the old building is off limits, you can check out a thread in Reddit's r/urbanexploration with pictures of the abandoned museum. These images feature hanging cables, empty exhibits, and large items wrapped up in protective plastic. There is a dinosaur skeleton, a mannequin of a woman's skeleton complete with the circulatory system, and more. It's rather sad to see brightly-colored rooms that were clearly meant to delight and teach children with no one there to enjoy them. One Reddit user commented, "I remember playing in that cave exhibit a ton with my late brother growing up," while another netizen wrote, "I'll miss this space. It was wonderful." That's it for the list of abandoned museums, but if you're fascinated with once-thriving places in the outdoors, check out these abandoned national parks and monuments.