I can’t decide which of the many billboards on the way to The SPAM Museum in Austin, Minnesota is the best. It’s probably a toss-up between “Not Your Typical Meat Museum” and “The Guggenheim Doesn’t Have Free Samples.” “MMMuseum” is pretty clever, too. Regardless of which is the most compelling, it’s pretty difficult to pass through Austin and not want to at least veer off of I35 for a few minutes to take a quick peek inside the 16,500 square feet of SPAM-filled fun.
SPAM Museum billboards on the way to Austin
All SPAM jokes aside, the Museum is actually completely worth a visit. I mean, who knew canned meat could have such an interesting history? With a shelf-life to infinity, SPAM pretty much sustained our troops during World War II, for one thing. And Hawaii of all states consumes the most SPAM by far. Weird, I know. Going to The SPAM Museum is like filling your brain with random facts for trivia night at the bar.
With an extremely friendly and enthusiastic staff, the Museum is a fun and informational destination with interactive and educational elements designed for all ages. And it’s free! So there’s just no way to come out a loser. At the very least, you’ll leave with a smile on your face and maybe a SPAM t-shirt or mug as proof of the visit. Oh, and the billboards didn’t lie, there are free samples…a little cube of SPAM skewered on a pretzel stick. Brilliant!
