By Greg Latimer Mysterious Destinations Research Director
The International Cryptozoology Museum in Portland, Maine is more than one of our standard Mysterious Destinations — it’s a whole collection of mysteries all kept in one convenient destination.
When was the last time you personally observed a hair sample from the Yeti, examined a full-size model of a baby sea serpent, or had the chance to personally meet one of the world’s leading crytozoologists?
All of that can be found in one place at the International Cryptozoology Museum in Portland (Maine).
The museum, and its collection of over 10,000 items, are the creation of Loren Coleman, a Portland resident who is acknowledged by CryptoMundo.com as “the current living American researcher and writer who has most popularized cryptozoology”.
(For those not familiar with the term, cryptozoology is defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary as: “the study of and search for animals and especially legendary animals, usually in order to evaluate the possibility of their existence”.)
According to CryptoMundo.com “Loren Coleman is one of the world’s leading cryptozoologists, some say ‘the’ leading”. Coleman has written more than 6000 columns and articles, as well as over 30 books. He has appeared frequently on radio and television programs, and has lectured throughout North America, as well as in London and at Loch Ness. He has even appeared as an actor in four movies – playing a cryptozoologist in each one.
Coleman established his International Cryptozoology Museum in 2003, in his own home. The first public location for the museum opened in November 2009, occupying the rear of The Green Hand Bookshop on Congress St. in Portland. On October 30, 2011, two years after moving onto Congress St., the International Cryptozoology Museum re-opened in its present location, a much larger space around the corner at 11 Avon St. (The entrance to Avon St., a street that runs only two blocks, can be located from Congress St. between the Green Hand Book Shop and Joe’s Smoke Shop.)
A soft-spoken man with a face framed by longish hair and a full beard, Coleman often personally greets visitors to the museum, sometimes with the humorous admonition that “Because I’m a founder, most people think I’m an exhibit here”. In a way, Coleman is an exhibit. His passion for cryptozoology combined with his endless knowledge of the field makes him one of the best parts of the museum visit. With the museum enjoying many visitors on the day of the interview, Coleman was always there to introduce people to the museum and its contents and then continue to answer their questions as they perused the exhibits. The extent of Coleman’s commitment to the museum is clearly measured by his description of the museum and its mission.
“The International Cryptozoology Museum is the world’s only museum of its kind, giving a one-of-a-kind introduction to a gateway science to understanding mysteries of natural history, zoology, and biology. It is fun, unique, and unforgettable,” Coleman said.
“The mission of the museum is to share the actual evidence, expedition items, and cultural specimens cryptozoologically collected… Since its establishment in 2003, the museum has also been the focus of new museum artifact contributions from international donators,” Coleman said. “Over 10,000 items are professionally curated in a well-kept, family-friendly museum in Maine’s largest city.”
Coleman feels strongly about his science. When asked about the recent trend of television shows featuring cryptozoology and whether this trend will cause cryptozoology rise to a new level of importance and acceptability among the public, Coleman responded with the following:
“The general public is interested in popular trends, of course, and scientists are bound to follow the evidence and positive results of their research. But cryptozoology is not in a popularity contest for ‘importance and acceptability among the public.’ Cryptozoology is a combination of fieldwork methods and scholarly studies to discover new species. The topic will have trends and ups & downs, like any science. Television programs give a false sense that ‘cryptozoology’ is on the upswing. It merely is becoming more well-known, but it has been part of the tool box of zoology for decades,” Coleman said.
Two things seem certain… First, as research into the creatures of cryptozoology continues, more and more of these creatures – such as the recent confirmation of two species of giant squid – will bring more species out of the realm of the unproven. Second, as more discoveries occur, the possibilities for new additions to the International Cryptozoology Museum will be limitless.
The International Cryptozoology Museum is located at 11 Avon Street, Portland, Maine, and is open every day but Tuesday. (Coleman usually works on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. A similarly qualified and passionate volunteer works on the other open days.)
For a link to the International Cryptozoology Museum website, click here.