First Ever Mermaid Museum Opens in Washington

The first and only museum dedicated to mermaids in Washington state has opened in the coastal costal city of Westport, about 130 miles west of Seattle. The museum is called the International Mermaid Museum and features a variety of exhibits concerning the ancient, mythological creatures that have captivated imaginations since ancient times.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by International Mermaid Museum (@mermaid.museum)

One of the museum’s attractions is the famed Moclips mermaid, a fictional design “reported” to have been found on the beach at Moclips, WA, about an hour north of the museum. The terrifying and small mermaid was featured on the Animal Planet mockumentary, Mermaids: The Body Found, which presented fictional evidence of mermaids presented in documentary form.

The blue lights, glittering floor made of sparkles, and the exhibits dedicated to Disney’s The Little Mermaid are fun touches but the museum also aims to educate visitors about marine life and the ecology of the oceans.

The museum was the dream of founder Kim Roberts, who was always fascinated by water, fish, mermaids, and lighthouses. Mermaids have been a part of mythology and traditional belief for cultures around the world for thousands of years, so there is no shortage of information on the fictional creatures.

The museum is open daily for tours and features items and artwork donated by the community, including a diving helmet used in the retrieval efforts after the 1941 Attack on Pearl Harbor.