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All the United States Vermont Grafton The Nature Museum Feejee Mermaid

The Nature Museum Feejee Mermaid

Antique gaffe kept in the basement of a small Vermont natural history museum.

Grafton, Vermont

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J.W. Ocker
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Close-up of the face of the Feejee Mermaid   J.W. Ocker
The Nature Museum’s Feejee Mermaid   J.W. Ocker
Basement of the museum   J.W. Ocker
Feejee Mermaid   wrightnour / Atlas Obscura User
The “comb” along the leading edge of a great horned owl’s wing allows it to fly and swoop silently!   wrightnour / Atlas Obscura User
Fencing frog   wrightnour / Atlas Obscura User
Fencing Frogs   wrightnour / Atlas Obscura User
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The Nature Museum in Grafton, VT, is a small natural history museum in a converted house that is dedicated to Vermont flora, fauna, and geology. It houses quite a few treasures in its handful of rooms, including a couple of extinct animal specimens that have been preserved, a human skull…and a Feejee Mermaid.

Feejee Mermaids are taxidermied chimeras with the tail of a fish and the torso of what is often a monkey. These artifacts originated in the islands of the Far East, and sailors brought them back as souvenirs. On this half of the world, the faux creatures ended up in sideshows or the curio cabinets of private collectors. Feejee Mermaids were popularized in the 1800s by P.T. Barnum, who also coined the term.

The Nature Museum acquired its Feejee Mermaid a decade ago from the Odd Fellows Hall in Brattleboro, VT, along with some accompanying documentation that includes a black and white photo of the creature hanging unceremoniously on a wall of the hall above a large trophy fish.

The specimen/artwork is about a foot long, fragile-looking, and eerie. The bottom half is the requisite fish tail, and the top half contains unidentified animal parts arranged under some sort of dark plaster. Beneath its mustachioed face could easily be the delicate skull of a small monkey. The tips of its arms bore webbed fingers with definite animal claws, and its tiny sharp white teeth could be of animal origin, as well. Currently, The Nature Museum doesn’t display the creature to the public, although they keep it on-site in the museum basement. They will schedule a viewing upon request, and even bring out a pair of taxidermied dueling frogs if you ask.

Adapted with Permission from: The New England Grimpendium by J.W. Ocker

Related Tags

Feejee Mermaids Museums And Collections Natural History Hunting And Taxidermy Mermaids Hoaxes

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Only open 4 days a week, at varying hours. They will gladly give specifics if you email. 

They will schedule a viewing upon request, and even bring out a pair of taxidermied dueling frogs if you ask.

Community Contributors

Added By

JWOcker

Edited By

headxxcage, wrightnour

  • headxxcage
  • wrightnour

Published

May 23, 2012

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  • The New England Grimpendium: http://www.amazon.com/New-England-Grimpendium-J-Ocker/dp/0881509191/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1279457058&sr=8-1
  • Self, was a local and arranged viewing in or about 2016
The Nature Museum Feejee Mermaid
186 Townshend Road
Grafton, Vermont, 05146
United States
43.17025, -72.610527
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Nearby Places

Stellafane Observatory

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Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Vermont

Vermont

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Places 82
Stories 16

Nearby Places

Stellafane Observatory

Springfield, Vermont

miles away

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miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Vermont

Vermont

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Places 82
Stories 16

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