FunKidsActivities

The Freakybuttrue Peculiarium and Museum

2234 NW Thurman St, Portland, OR 97210, USA

Overview

Category:Christmas Events for Kids
Location:Portland, OR

Expert Summary

Detailed Insights

The Freakybuttrue Peculiarium and Museum offers a highly unique and quirky experience, serving as a 'hidden gem' for families seeking a short, memorable adventure. Its value lies in its curated collection of oddities, interactive elements, and a remarkable gift shop, making it an ideal stop for those who appreciate the unusual.

Key Highlights

  • Warm and friendly welcome from staff immediately upon entry (Review 1).
  • Curated collection of cool, odd, and peculiar items to see and read about, providing a distinct visual experience (Reviews 1, 2, 4).
  • Dedicated fun photo opportunities with peculiar backdrops (Reviews 2, 5).
  • Complimentary popcorn available for visitors to enjoy while browsing (Reviews 2, 5).
  • Gift shop with an extensive selection of unique, quirky, and reasonably priced souvenirs, knickknacks, and oddities (Reviews 1, 2, 3, 4, 5).
  • Presence of interactive things to do within the museum (Review 4).

Standout Features

  • Engaging and diverse collection of visual oddities and peculiar items.
  • Friendly and welcoming staff providing a positive first impression.
  • Numerous unique photo opportunities throughout the museum.
  • Complimentary popcorn as a value-add for visitors.
  • Well-stocked and diverse gift shop with unique, reasonably priced items, including quirky mystery bags for $5 (Review 5).

Perfect For

Ideal for teenagers (13+) who enjoy 'weird things' and peculiar exhibits, as a parent brought their three teenage sons who found it fun (Review 4).
Suitable for older children (8+) who can appreciate looking at, reading about, and engaging with unusual visual displays and interactive elements.
May be less engaging for very young children or those who need extensive active play, given its museum-like format.
Parents of very sensitive young children might want to consider the 'freaky' theme, though no actual scary elements like jump scares were reported (Review 1).

Ideal For

A quick, quirky, and visually interesting stop during a day out or while visiting the area.
Families with teenagers or older children seeking an unusual and engaging experience.
Individuals or small groups who appreciate unique oddities, eccentric collections, and 'weird things'.
Finding distinctive and unconventional gifts and souvenirs.

💡Pro Tips from Reviews

  • Plan for a visit of approximately 30 minutes, as it is a compact venue and not an all-day attraction (Review 4).
  • Consider the $10 entrance fee in relation to the short duration; look for potential free entry opportunities if available (e.g., one reviewer got in for free due to their 'cute cat' – Review 3).
  • Take advantage of the unique photo spots for memorable and quirky pictures (Reviews 2, 5).
  • Be sure to browse the gift shop for unique souvenirs and gifts, as items are noted to be reasonably priced, and 'mystery bags' offer peculiar finds for $5 (Reviews 2, 5).
  • Enjoy the complimentary popcorn provided during your visit (Reviews 2, 5).

Things to Consider

  • Small physical size, leading to a relatively short visit duration (approximately 30 minutes) (Reviews 2, 3, 4).
  • The $10 entrance fee is perceived as slightly steep by some reviewers for the brevity of the experience, leading to mixed value opinions (Reviews 3, 5).
  • The 'freaky' theme might initially cause some visitors to anticipate jump scares, though none were reported (Review 1).

Price & Value

The entrance fee is $10 per person (Reviews 2, 3, 5). Value perception is mixed; some find it 'worth the stop,' while others believe it 'seems a little steep' for the short duration. The fee includes complimentary popcorn and access to photo opportunities. Gift shop items, including unique 'mystery bags' for $5 (Review 5), are generally considered 'very reasonably priced' (Review 2). There's a mention of potential free entry through specific promotions (e.g., 'cute cat' - Review 3).

Accessibility & Special Needs

  • No specific accessibility features or accommodations were mentioned in the reviews.

🍎Food & Drink Policy

  • Complimentary popcorn is provided to visitors (Reviews 2, 5). No other food or drink policies (e.g., outside food, snacks for sale) were mentioned in the reviews.

🚗Parking Info

  • No specific parking information was mentioned in the reviews. Referred to as a 'hidden gem,' which might imply it's not on a main thoroughfare but doesn't provide parking details.

👥Crowd Levels

  • No specific information regarding crowd levels or peak times was mentioned in the reviews; however, one reviewer referred to it as a 'hidden gem,' which might imply it's not typically overrun.

🛡️Safety Features

  • No explicit safety features were mentioned. One reviewer noted there were no 'jump scares' despite the 'freaky' theme, which is a reassuring detail for some parents (Review 1).

When to Avoid

  • If you are looking for an all-day attraction or extensive, high-energy activities for young children.
  • If children are easily scared or uncomfortable with 'freaky' or very unusual themes, despite no reported actual jump scares (Review 1).
  • Families on a very strict budget who might find the $10 entrance fee per person not justified for a short, 30-minute experience.

Pricing/Package/Events

Events & Schedule

🛡️Safety Policy

  • Not a haunted house, no jump scares.
  • Features movie style blood and guts.
  • All done in the spirit of good clean fun.
Information extracted from official website • Last updated: Oct 3, 2025

What People Say

What's Great

  • Fun and entertaining activities (mentioned in 3 reviews)

Areas for Improvement

  • Can get crowded during peak times (mentioned in 2 reviews)

Recent Reviews

Lauren Rubin

Lauren Rubin

2 weeks ago

This is such a cool little hidden gem!! I found it somewhat by accident and was welcomed by such a kind and friendly gentleman immediately upon walking in. Admittedly, I convinced myself that something was going to jump scare me, so I was a little jumpy (nothing did!!) but it did not take away from my experience. There were so many cool things to see, and a great little gift shop for quirky souvenirs! I really enjoyed myself!

Liz

Liz

6 months ago

Small but unique and full of interesting things! Worth the stop and $10 fee to go look through. They have some fun photo spots and a lot of cool, odd things to see and read about. Their gift shop has a lot of oddities to choose from, and it seemed like everything was very reasonably priced (especially for a gift shop). Bonus: they had complimentary popcorn to enjoy as you peruse the museum!

Aaron Kirchmann

Aaron Kirchmann

3 months ago

I mean... there's not much to it, but it's pretty fun seeing what IS there. Also, the gift shop is full of interesting and unique knickknacks and what not. It's a fun, and short, addition to a day out. We got in for free because of our cute cat, so I wasn't disappointed. But if I had to pay the 10 buck entrance fee... I may have rated it lower.

David Nuffer

David Nuffer

6 months ago

Fun little spot to see some weird things. Regular things to see here as well. Plan for about 30 minutes, it's not a large place, but there are interactive things to do. Fun and quirky, glad we went, I took my 3 teenage sons. Gift shop at the end has cool unique stuff to purchase.

Michael Savage

Michael Savage

6 months ago

Ok, I really liked this, it was on my list for some time, so while in town, we gave it a shot. I will say the entrance fee of 10 dollars seems a little steep after having done it. But it isn't unreasonable. You do get lots of photo ops and free popcorn, so I can't complain too much. Nice little gift shop, got a mystery bag and it has a picture for a slide machine from 1951, a weird picture of someone's baby from like the 1800's, some stickers, and a McDonald's minion. Definitely peculiar! I'd say that was worth it for five dollars

Contact Information

2234 NW Thurman St, Portland, OR 97210, USA

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Opening Hours

Monday: 12:00 – 7:00 PM
Tuesday: 12:00 – 7:00 PM
Wednesday: 12:00 – 7:00 PM
Thursday: 12:00 – 7:00 PM
Friday: 12:00 – 7:00 PM
Saturday: 12:00 – 7:00 PM
Sunday: 12:00 – 7:00 PM

Quick Stats

Overall Rating
4.3
Total Reviews1839
Recent Reviews5