Every week, on my way through Pattaya on Beach Road to go diving, I pass the Teddy Bear museum. Outside the building is a huge statue of a teddy bear dressed up in a crown and cape advertising Teddy Island. It piqued my curiosity and every time I passed it I thought to myself, “I need to go there.” First, I did a little research and found that it was a unique place which only made me want to go more. Then, I had a day off from diving one weekend and finally went. 

Unique does not even begin to cover the Teddy Bear museum. It’s not even really a museum, there was a wall near the start of your tour with the brief history of the teddy bear. There are scenes throughout time just with a teddy bear theme. Teddy bear ancient Egypt, teddy bear Thailand, teddy bears with dinosaurs, teddy bears underwater, teddy bears in space, teddy bears in a fantasy land, teddy bears in China… You get the picture.

I had a very surreal time wandering through this place. For a Saturday, I had it all to myself though the Internet informed me the museum is popular with tour groups. The entire time I was thinking “who pays 500 baht to see this?… Right, I did.” And I would go back because it is the kind of place you need to go with someone else so when you see the painting of the last supper done with teddy bears you can turn to them in amazed confusion.

If you want to read more about this weird and wonderful place, this is a good article.