Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All New Zealand Napier Opossum World
Opossum World is permanently closed.

This entry remains in the Atlas as a record of its history, but it is no longer accessible to visitors.

Opossum World

This museum/fur store is devoted to educating guests on how awful opossums can be.

Napier, New Zealand

Added By
boogerlab
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Opossum World   Kate on Flickr
Opossum World   Colin on Flickr
Opossum World   Kate on Flickr
Opossum World   Kate on Flickr
Opossum World   Kate on Flickr
Opossum World   Kate on Flickr
  Gavin / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

In what may be one of the world's only examples of a museum dedicated to destroying an animal, New Zealand's Opossum World is a strange mix of taxidermy showcase, pelt store, and educational center determined to teach visitors about the country's opossum epidemic. (Editor's Note: We are aware that the more correct spelling is "possum" but given that the location uses the silent "o" we have used it throughout the entry.)

Beginning with the museum's unambiguous slogan, "Save a New Zealand tree. Buy Opossum fur products," the message is clear: opossums are a problem. The bushtail opossum was artificially introduced to the New Zealand ecosystem in a misguided attempt to engineer a fur industry. However since the animal had no natural predators, the opossum population quickly spiraled out of control and is now a serious problem in the country. It is estimated that there are 20 opossums to every New Zealand resident and that they consume around 21,000 tons of foliage a night. This environmental disaster has been dealt with in a number of ways over the years, attempting trapping, offering bounties for the animals, and now it is par for the course to simply poison or shoot them.

While the vigorous dislike of the often adorable opossum is almost comically incongruous, they are a serious problem and Opossum World approaches the issue with the environment in mind. Although this might be hard to tell from the strange displays. Among the odd sights are a stuffed opossum choir that stands on top of a car that has just made one of their kind roadkill, a replica shack covered in pelts with a little taxidermied opossum peeking out the window, and even a graphic series of stuffed figures that walks visitors through the opossum birth process.     

The retail portion of Opossum World sells pelts and clothing made of fibers made of opossum fur, which its said is remarkably soft. Whether or not their message of opossum slaughter may be offensive to some, their strange dioramas and convincing argument that the nocturnal beasts are ravaging the local ecosystem should leave visitors clear on one point: opossums are terrible.  

Related Tags

Museums And Collections Museums Animals

Know Before You Go

Opossum World has relocated from its original museum/store by the coast to a smaller more retail-focused location. 

Atlas Obscura Adventures

Wild New Zealand: Exploring the North & South Islands

Stunning landscapes, unique wildlife, and rich Māori culture.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

boogerlab

Edited By

Wellyrunner, nztraveller, EricGrundhauser, Gavin

  • Wellyrunner
  • nztraveller
  • EricGrundhauser
  • Gavin

Published

March 24, 2013

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://rotowhenua2.blogspot.com/2008/01/opossum-world-most-unusual-museum.html
  • http://www.vice.com/read/new-zealand-what-we-learned-from-opossum-world
  • http://www.hawkesbaynz.com/index.php/see-do/shopping/opossum-world
Opossum World
247 Emerson St
Napier, 4110
New Zealand
-39.491182, 176.914692
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Napier Prison

Napier, New Zealand

miles away

Gumboot Capital of the World

Taihape, New Zealand

miles away

The Longest Place Name In The World

Porangahau, New Zealand

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Napier

Napier

New Zealand

Places 2

Nearby Places

Napier Prison

Napier, New Zealand

miles away

Gumboot Capital of the World

Taihape, New Zealand

miles away

The Longest Place Name In The World

Porangahau, New Zealand

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Napier

Napier

New Zealand

Places 2

Related Places

  • Duncan, British Columbia

    Hand of Man Museum

    A former elementary school houses one man's extensive collection of art, artifacts, and taxidermy.

  • Toronto, Ontario

    Gordo the Barosaurus

    Canada's largest dinosaur skeleton was hidden away in storage for more than 40 years.

  • North Adelaide, Australia

    David Roche House Museum

    A vast and opulent collection of art and show dog memorabilia collected over one man's lifetime.

  • The museum is housed in the former Summerside Armoury

    Summerside, Prince Edward Island

    International Fox Museum and Hall of Fame

    The once-booming fox ranching industry has left its mark on Prince Edward Island.

  • Museo de Anatomopatología

    Mexico City, Mexico

    Museo de Anatomopatología (Museum of Pathological Anatomy)

    Located in a veterinary school, this macabre exhibit displays the effects of animal diseases.

  • Peter the dog.

    Brisbane, Australia

    Queensland Police Museum

    It's home to the taxidermy remains of Peter, the dog who helped convict a murderer.

  • A taxidermy hippo.

    Tervuren, Belgium

    Royal Museum for Central Africa Natural History Collections

    A fascinating and enormous collection of natural history exhibits stained by a dark colonial legacy.

  • Chadron, Nebraska

    Museum of the Fur Trade

    This Great Plains museum pays tribute to both the prosperity and tragedy of the North American fur trade.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.