The Spam Museum

??tike your SPAM sliced and fried? Nestled within a sesame seed bun? Cubed and skewed with
pretzel sticks? Or, are you a purist who likes it straight out of the can — mysterious gel
and all? Just off Interstate 90 in Austin, Minnesota, sits the SPAM Museum, which boasts a
whopping 16,500 square feet of offbeat attractions. The museum contains more than 4,700
cans of SPAM, most of which tower directly overhead on the “Wall of SPAM” located just
inside the entrance of this wonderfully kitsch tribute to the world’s most famous
meat-product-in-a-can. Take a seat in the CyberDiner, a retro cafe where you can surf SPAM
Web sites. Stroll through a display illustrating SPAM’s role in WWII, including a letter
from President Eisenhower praising SPAM’s contribution to the war effort. At the mock
production line, kids can compete with their parents to see who can produce a can of SPAM
the fastest. Watch Monty Python’s famous SPAM sketch at a reproduction of the Green Midget
Café. Throughout the museum, a conveyor belt travels overhead, transporting more than 800
cans of SPAM. And, of course, what museum would be complete without a gift shop? The SPAM
Shop sells everything SPAM, including golf tees, puzzles, plush toys, earrings — you name
it! And yes, you can buy an actual can of the stuff. Even if you ate (or were forced to
eat) too much SPAM as a kid, this museum is a fun and worthwhile look at a true piece of
Americana. From I-90, take Exit 178B, go south, take a right at the Hormel Foods Plant and
follow the signs to the museum. Admission is free. SPAM Museum, (800) 588-7726, spam.com.