8 of the Most Unusual Artifacts in the Smithsonian's Collection

For over 175 years, the Smithsonian Institution and its affiliated museums have been collecting, conserving, and showcasing elements of American heritage, ranging from NASA spacesuits that enabled lunar landings to Fonzie’s iconic jacket from Happy Days. Despite the vast number of exhibits, they account for just 1 percent of the 154 million artifacts stored by the institution. Discover some of the Smithsonian’s hidden gems—quirky and fascinating items that would undoubtedly captivate visitors if ever put on display.

1. THE COLLAPSIBLE BATHTUB

Love baths but dislike how much room your tub occupies? Back in 1900, you could have chosen a foldable bathtub that tucks away when not in use. Originally featured in an 1895 Montgomery Ward catalog, this innovative tub—crafted by Chicago's Mosely company—could be shifted aside effortlessly, featuring a vanity mirror on its underside. Wastewater was collected in a basin for easy disposal. If that wasn’t impressive enough, the Smithsonian highlights that other manufacturers even created sofa-bathtub hybrids, complete with foldable seats for easy access to bathing.

2. FOSSILIZED GIANT SLOTH DROPPINGS

In 1941, a Smithsonian curator named Remington Kellogg discovered a groundbreaking treasure in the Grand Canyon’s Rampart Cave: massive, fossilized sloth droppings. These excrements belonged to the giant ground sloth (Nothrotheriops shastensis), a species that vanished 12,000 years ago. This specific dung pile is estimated to be around 100,000 years old and was part of a collection highly valued by researchers. In 1977, a long-lasting fire in the cave nearly destroyed the 5-foot-thick deposit. In a humorous twist, The Washington Post dubbed the situation a crisis of “endangered feces.”

3. A CREEPY ARTIFICIAL INFANT

With the right amount of chipped paint and a haunting, vacant gaze, dolls can transform into some of the most unsettling objects imaginable. But imagine if such a doll was equipped with rudimentary gears enabling it to crawl? This eerie imitation child was patented by inventor George Pemberton Clarke in 1871, who dubbed it the “natural creeping baby doll.” Buzzsaw-like wheels propel the nightmarish creation forward, while its flat top surface might have been ideal for carrying a beverage ... or perhaps something more macabre.

4. PRESERVED WOOLLY MAMMOTH MEAT

Mammuthus primigenius roamed the Earth 12,000 years ago, thriving until the ice age decimated much of the planet’s wildlife. While some populations persisted in Alaska and Russia, the woolly mammoth has been extinct for 4,000 years—unless you persuade a Smithsonian curator to show you their preserved specimen. In 1901, Russian researchers uncovered a frozen woolly mammoth with remarkably well-preserved flesh. By 1922, facing financial difficulties, one scientist sold muscle tissue from the mammoth’s hind leg, along with samples of its hair and teeth, to the museum.

5. A BEARD MEASURING 17 FEET

Measuring an astonishing 17 feet and 6 inches, the beard of North Dakota’s Hans Langseth is arguably the longest ever recorded. Langseth, a man with a passion for facial hair, initially grew it for a beard competition but decided to let it grow unchecked. As the ends began to deteriorate, he tied them off to preserve the living follicles. Upon his death in 1927, he requested his family to remove the beard before burial. The preserved beard was later donated to the Smithsonian, where it is occasionally displayed for Langseth’s descendants to view.

6. AN ENORMOUS SQUID EYE

Specimens suspended in jars rarely inspire pleasant thoughts, and this enormous giant squid eyeball is no different. The eyes of these creatures can reach up to 10 inches in diameter, with pupils measuring inches, designed to navigate the pitch-black depths of the ocean. Scientists believe such large eyes are necessary for squids to monitor their primary predator, the sperm whale. These eye samples are rare, as squid remains often decompose before researchers can study them. It wasn’t until 2005 that a live squid was photographed in its natural habitat.

7. A MECHANICAL RESPIRATOR

Before Jonas Salk’s polio vaccine, the disease was widespread, often severely impairing patients’ ability to breathe, necessitating mechanical assistance. John Haven Emerson, a machinist, enhanced the original “iron lung” devices, which utilized negative pressure to expand and contract the lungs, and introduced his improved version in 1931 to aid polio patients with paralyzed chest muscles. These full-body units featured adjustable breathing settings and a manual pump for emergencies; they also included a sliding “cookie tray” to move patients in and out. The use of these respirators declined from 1200 in 1959 to just 39 by 2004. Today, only three individuals, including an 82-year-old polio survivor, still rely on them.

8. PIGEON CARRIER VESTS

During World War II, Allied forces employed pigeons as messengers. To protect the birds during parachute drops, soldiers secured them in specially designed vests. In 1944, Maidenform, a bra manufacturer, produced 28,500 of these vests for the U.S. government. (For unclear reasons, the instructions warned against leaving the birds in the vests for more than six hours.) These feathered couriers achieved an impressive 95 percent success rate in delivering messages.