Off the corner of Thurman and Northwest 23rd street in Portland, OR lies the Freakybuttrue Peculiarium. A peculiarium is a type of art gallery that houses pieces that don’t fit into contemporary aesthetics-an anti-museum. Freakybuttrue is best described as a cross between horror and sci-fi film set nostalgia. Ran by Lisa and Mike Freeman, they founded this maximalist anti-museum 16 years ago as a way to reinvent themselves in the middle of a recession. Before the museum, Mike had been working for Laika Studios, the animation studio that made Coraline, and Lisa had been working as a freelance grant writer.
“We wanted to do something fun-something that made us feel alive, and also get rid of everything in our garage.” – Lisa Freeman
Current pieces in the museum include a rendition of BigFoot based off a description in H.P. Lovecraft’s novels, a haunted dollhouse, Al Capone’s real safe and a few interactive photo installations that bring horrors to life.
The gallery often falls into pieces-literally stumbling into them as they come into work. Neighborhood residents often drop off pieces off on their doorstep. However, nearly half the pieces in the museum are made by Mike Freeman. For example, this room he designed within the haunted dollhouse.
The family owned business plans to expand into a nearby warehouse this summer, to make a proper cave for their BigFoot, a theater, and an entertaining area. They aim to be a “safe haven for all eclectics.” extending their event calendar to include magic shows, concerts, witch circles, and drag shows. The peculiarium may be small and strange, however it enriches in it’s spirit of unapologetic authenticity.
Pieces of Paitra 
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