Worldwide museums that are inspired by and pay homage to pets
Taking care of, respecting, and loving an animal as part of the family. That’s the most common understanding of pethood and the definition of having pets.
It’s a considerably recent concept in human history popularized mainly in the 18th and 19th centuries when farming and housing animals became two different things. What led to this differentiation was the shift between domesticated animals for commercial/survival purposes and animals that act as companions and a family extension.
There aren’t definitive answers indicating what animal was the first pet. Studies show that around 30,000 years ago, humans started domesticating dogs and other animals. Since then, the fascination and partnership between humans and tamed animals — who eventually became pets — grew stronger and wider as it spread all over the globe to the present day.
Today, we pay homage to that bond by compiling a list of museums that celebrate, teach, and dwell on the relationship between humankind and pets.
The AKC Museum of the Dog
Located in New York City, New York, and founded in 1982, it’s one of the largest museums dedicated exclusively to dogs, with one of the largest libraries in the world.
From permanent collections and temporary exhibitions to interactive content and even a Community Wall, the AKC Museum is a great place for all dog lovers.
Ernest Hemingway Home And Museum
It’s not a museum dedicated to pets, but one where felines play a key role.
Located in Key West, Florida, the Ernest Hemingway House and Museum houses around 60 cats with polydactyl genes in their DNA.
The writer was offered a polydactyl feline companion — Snow White — and kept a colony of cats that inherited his extra toe. Since then, extra-toed cats have been affectionally called Hemingway cats.
Several lineages later, some of Snow White’s descendants still live in the house today.
The American Museum of the House Cat
Forced to postpone opening a new location due to the 19-COVID pandemic, the WNC Cat Museum faced some difficulties but reopened to public visits this last spring.
Located in Sylva, North Carolina, it houses a private collection spanning over 30 years of collected pieces that showcase house cats and cat fandom.
Dackelmuseum
Located in Passau, Germany, this museum touches the hearts of weiner lovers. The Dachshund Museum houses a private collection of nearly 5,000 pieces of collectibles, memorabilia, and art celebrating the much-loved sausage dog.
Dog Collar Museum
Have you ever wondered what was considered the most stylish and practical in dog wear centuries ago? Then, this museum is right up your alley.
Established in the Leeds Castle Foundation, Kent, UK, this collar collection dates back to the 15th century and displays objects from different historical periods and European countries.
KattenKabinet
Amsterdammers are some of the most cat lovers in the world. Current studies from the Dutch Pet Association show that 23% of households own one or more felines. No wonder there’s a Cat Cabinet in the Netherlands.
Famous paintings, photographs, sculptures, and much more are on display at this pet museum.
Foof
This first Italian and European museum dedicated to dogs acts as a green park, a museum, and a shelter for abandoned dogs.
Named after the architect’s childhood dog, the space in Mondragone takes visitors on a journey through science, art, history, fashion, and cinema and highlights the relationship between man and his best friend.
Barryland
Originally named Musée et Chiens du Saint-Bernard Martigny, or St. Bernard Museum can be visited in Martigny, Switzerland.
Dedicated to the national Swiss dog and a legendary rescue dog named Barry, the museum tells the breed’s history and provides dog walking hikes to know more about Saint Bernard up close.
Maneki Neko Museum of Art
There are several museums of the Maneki Neko — the beckoning cat — but the most traditional one is in Seto, Japan.
This lucky charm adored by the Japanese culture since the Edo Era is present in over 5,000 figures imported from several parts of the country.
Akita Dog Museum
Situated in Odate, Japan, it’s the only museum dedicated to the Akita Inu breed.
There’s a dog mascot welcoming visitors at the door and guiding them through the role of the Akita in Japanese history. One of the biggest highlights of the exhibition is the statue of Hachiko.
The Museum of Aquarium & Pet History
Different from the other museums featured on this list, I had to include it.
Not open to the public in a physical format, at least for now, it’s possible to visit the Museum of Aquarium and Pet History on YouTube and website.
Keen on showing advertising, products, and all sorts of past objects used to transport, hold, or house pets, it’s a curious and quirky museum that offers a comprehensive look into one of the fastest-growing markets in the world: the pet industry.
Conclusion
After compiling a list of inspiring and quirky museums that pay homage to dogs, cats, and pets, we realize that humans and animals share a special bond that started centuries ago.
Have you visited one of these museums? Do you know any other that we could add to this post?
