Rock Hill, South Carolina - Museum of York County - Taxidermy Paradise

My mom calls this place "the dead animal museum." It is halls and halls full of taxidermied animals from tiny birds to a giraffe and an elephant. Many of these animals are now endagered, due to safaris like the ones that bagged these trophies. In the middle of nowhere, the outside of this museum shows no hint of what it contains.

It's a good couple hours of entertainment, with rotating local exhibits and art by the painter, Vernon Grant, of Snap, Crackle and Pop, the Rice Krispie guys fame. There is also a planetarium with daily shows.

There are many interesting stories about the founders and employees; the namesake of the planetarium, for example, was supposedly an alcoholic chemist who one day got his beakers of booze and chemicals confused and was poisoned. I worked there as a reptile handler and mascot (Myco the Rhino) for special occasions for several years. [Cori Sparks, 09/24/2006]

[RA: Seems like a fairly mainstream museum overall.... The museum touts more than 200 full-mounted African animals, but these days that's barely more than you'll find at a Bass Pro Shops or Cabela's store....]