The museum collection includes classic curiosities such as hairballs,
two headed lambs and
Fiji mermaids, its art collection spans several centuries including the largest collection of work by
Austin Osman Spare on public display alongside a large collection of work by the Anglo-Mexican surrealist
Leonora Carrington. The museum's natural history collection includes
dodo bones and extinct bird feathers, as well as much taxidermy and the skeleton of a
giant anteater. It has a section dedicated to the
Dandy, including
Sebastian Horsley's nails from his crucifixion and drawings and archive material to do with
Stephen Tennant, a collection of human remains including
shrunken heads, Tribal Skulls, dead babies in bottles and parts of pickled sex workers,
tribal art collected in The Congo and New Guinea by the proprietor, fossils, and scientific and medical instruments. It also displays celebrity faecal matter, erotica and condoms used by the
Rolling Stones. The contents of the museum are insured for £1 million. The museum is generally open to the public but is occasionally hired out for private events. The Museum holds regular exhibitions of artists including
Alasdair Gray,
Mervyn Peake,
Gunter Grass,
Robin Ironside and English
Surrealists. ==References==