Bigfoot, or Sasquatch if you prefer, remains a tantalizing mystery. Sightings continue to come in, not just from the Pacific Northwest, but from all over the country, even the deep South. A few museums exist which are dedicated to the Bigfoot phenomena. The following is a listing of Bigfoot museums and, as a small bonus, a few fall 2009 conferences. This is not by any means to be considered a complete listing. To the best of my knowledge, the museums remain active.
Bigfoot Discovery Project. Located in the Santa Cruz Mountains in Felton, California, next to Henry Felton State Park. The museum includes exhibits relating to local history involving Bigfoot, Bigfoot’s role in popular culture, as well as direct efvidence of Bigfoot in the form of plaster casts of handprints and footprints, and a detailed exhibit built around the Patterson/Gimlin film documenting a famous Bigfoot encounter. Bigfoot documentaries are also on tap. Visit the website at http://bigfootdiscoveryproject.com/
Willow Creek-China Flat Museum. In Willow Creek, California, near the site where a Bigfoot, or Sasquatch, was sighted and featured in the famous Patterson film. The museum opened in 2000 with a 25-foot redwood sculpture of Bigfoot looking over the parking lot. Inside are displays of bigfoot evidence gathered by researchers, a variety of plaster casts of footprints, a collection of bigfoot-themed toys and collectibles. There is also a library of research on bigfoot activity in California. Visit the website at http://bigfootcountry.net/home/
Legend of Bigfoot Museum and Gallery, on Blair Street in Silverton, Colorado. Established in the wake of a series of confirmed Bigfoot sightings in the San Juan Mountains near Riverton. Bigfoot reports there actually date back to the 1840’s. The museum focuses on Bigfoot lore, where they live, what they eat.
Seattle Museum of the Mysteries is located at 623 Broadway East in Seattle, Washington, between Roy and Mercer. The museum focuses on paranormal mysteries such as ghosts and UFOs, but also features a Bigfoot exhibit which includes four plaster casts of Bigfoot prints. a sightings map, and a reproduction of a full-grown Bigfoot dubbed Grover, in honor of Washington State University anthropologist Grover Krantz. For details, consult the wesbsite at http://www.seattlechatclub.org/museum.html.
Upcoming conferences:
The Texas Bigfoot Conference Sep 26, at Caldwell Auditorium in Tyler, TX. Numerous speakers will make presentations from 8:30am to 6:15pm. From 7:30-9:30pm, a fundriaisng banquet is at the Tyler Discovery Science Place. Guest speaker at the dinner is wildlife author and naturalist Peter Mathiessen. For more information, go to http://www.texasbigfoot.org/index.php/news/news/48-news/157
Honobia Bigfoot Festival and Conference, Fri-Sat, Oct 2-3, 2009, Honobia, OK. Free attendance at the festival, $10/day admission to conference. Conference speakers include Jeff Meldrum, David Paulides, Harvey Pratt, Thom Powell, Kathy Strain, Mike Hall, Ed Smith of Oklahoma, and Cullen Hudson, author of “Strange State” about Oklahoma. Campfire storytelling 7-9pm Friday, will focus on first-hand and second-hand Bigfoot stories. The storytelling event is free. There’s plenty more. For information, contact the Chamber of Commerce at [email protected]. Also, consult the website for details on the event at http://bigfootmountain.com/activity-schedule.
2009 Paranormal Symposium, Sep 11-13 in Angel Fire, New Mexico. Besides cryptozoology, which of course includes Bigfoot, the sumposium will cover UFOs, crop circles, aliens, and more. Author Nick Redfern will speak on Memoirs of Monster Hunter, which will include material about Bigfoot, including his Russian counterpart. For information, see the website at http://www.aspefiles.org/.
