Polson, Montana: Miracle of America Museum

No serious devotee of roadside attractions should miss this place! It is a true treasure-trove of everything idiosyncratic, unusual, and American.

You start with the main museum building- several thousand square feet of displays (all behind glass or cleverly repurposed cattle panels) of anything imaginable (and some things not imaginable!) related to the U.S. Oh, let's see- a sheep-powered spinning wheel, a two-headed calf, a battalion's worth of military memorabilia, the largest bison in Montana, a motorcycle made of wood, etc. etc. etc. But that is just the beginning!

Step out the back door, and there are a couple of acres of small buildings -- log cabins, tin shacks, barns -- each one filled with a particular kind of memorabilia. The Fiddler's Hall of Fame, the school, the dentist's office, the trapper's shack, the general store, the livestock barn, the alien compound, etc. etc. Plus helicopters, cars, trains, boats, tractors, gew-gaws, gimcracks...

Oh, and there's a gift shop. You can buy railroad nails, Montana license plates, and an autographed booklet all about the museum to remember your unusual escapade.

They call themselves "The Smithsonian of the West," and have a fine, sprawling collection of artifacts and tchotchkes. My personal favorite: a Viking ship with hubcaps on the side! Also lots of World War II-abilia, including Hitler and Mussolini gag items and other pop culture materials. And all delivered with a certain...agenda (e.g., a photo of holocaust victims reminds us that the Commies likewise did such things).

Be sure to get your picture taken sitting at the controls of a Vietnam-era helicopter -- and just TRY not to hum "The Ride of the Valkyries!"