Portland's Peculiarium promises priceless perusing
Mike Wellins
As the name suggests, the Freakybuttrue Peculiarium and Museum in Portland offers a uniquely curated collection. Lisa Freeman and Mike Wellins conceived the idea while they were in the process of buying a food cart in 2010. They had wanted to transition from their respective careers and thought the food cart would be both creative and challenging. But they found themselves talking more about decorating the cart than the food they would sell, and they soon realized they were being drawn in a different, more peculiar direction.
More than a decade later, their art-gallery/museum/oddity warehouse space is crammed with an indescribable variety of items, from original art and books to knick-knacks and clothing, and one-of-a-kind exhibits reflecting the history of Portland. A life-sized anti-Santa called Krampus greets museum goers when they walk in. It’s a floor to ceiling experience that Freeman says often stops people in their tracks when they first enter.
Freeman and her partner reopened last year after a long pandemic hiatus. Now, they say, business is back and better than ever. Their current obsession is with the grand reopening of their snack bar, which is coming back with an even wider and weirder range of offerings. Note: that’s aside from the regular “Bug Sundays.” Freeman and Wellins join us to share more about the Peculiarium’s regular and coming attractions.
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