My favorite part of going on a road trip is randomly stumbling upon cool places and roadside attractions that I wasn't planning on visiting.
Recently, while driving through Missouri on a road trip, I suddenly needed to stop and find a restroom. I then spotted a big sign on the side of the highway that made me chuckle; it said "Uranus Fudge Factory" Surely they'd have restrooms there, so I pulled off into the parking lot and found myself surrounded by various little shops and activities. The fudge factory had a fantastic ice cream stand, a huge gift shop with all sorts of trinkets and sweet treats, a playground, and a sideshow museum.
I decided to check out the sideshow museum, and was thrilled by what I found there. I ended up spending nearly 45 minutes in the museum, which showcases oddities, tributes to various cryptids, and all sorts of fascinating sideshow history. There were old posters from the circus, two-headed pig fetuses in formaldehyde, 3D replicas of sideshow performers, and a real live two-headed turtle, which was swimming around in a large tank. The staff at the museum are sideshow performers themselves, and I met a real-life sword swallower named Kat (she's awesome). The museum also has a fun gift shop that sells magic tricks, posters, small oddities, jewelry, and more.
If you're fascinated by oddities and the history of circus sideshows, this is a fantastic place to stop on a road trip, see fascinating artifacts, and eat some fudge.
The Uranus sideshow is located at 14400 State Hwy. Z St. Robert, MO 65584.
See also: Normal day in Butte, Montana turns surreal when folks spot an elephant running through town (video)
