Oddities & curiosities in Columbus
Oddity shops, curiosity cabinets and taxidermy counters: 6 of the strangest small storefronts in Columbus, WitchLab, The Magical Druid and Cora's Curiosities among them. The kind of quirky, offbeat retail you leave with a story and a jar of something. They spread across Franklinton, Clintonville, Near East Side, Hilltop and 1 more area, so two or three can make a whole afternoon. Every entry is hand-vetted against real sources — not scraped off a top-ten list or averaged out of crowd ratings.
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WitchLab
Blurring the lines between magic, science, and art, WitchLab is a massive 2,500-square-foot occult, oddities, and antiques shop. They hand-blend their own organic ritual oils, perfumes, and loose-leaf teas on-site, surrounded by medical curiosities and vintage scientific instruments.
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The Magical Druid
Run by two ordained Druid priests, this massive 5,000-square-foot spiritual hub is dedicated to Neopagan Druidry and earth-centered magic. The shop features hand-carved ritual tools, custom-engraved altar tiles, hand-poured herb-infused candles, and multiple reading rooms.
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Cora's Curiosities
Curated by local burlesque icon Cora Mandragora, this Clintonville shop is a dedicated haven for the strange and unusual. Visitors can browse a fascinating selection of ethically sourced taxidermy, wet specimens, and artfully preserved skeletal bones.
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Afterlife Oddities & Tattoos
Part tattoo studio and part cabinet of curiosities, this East Side shop specializes in rare, conversation-starting pieces. The retail section features real human skulls, skeletal bones, wet specimens, and taxidermy animals in humorous or compromising positions.
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State of Ohio Asylum for the Insane Cemetery
Tucked away behind the City of Columbus Police Aviation complex, this deeply somber, forgotten cemetery is the burial ground for unclaimed patients of the former Columbus State Hospital. While a few headstones bear names, the vast majority of the graves are marked only with small, brick-sized stones displaying a patient number and an 'M' or 'F' (for male or female), alongside two chilling markers engraved simply with the word 'SPECIMENS.'
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National Barber Museum and Hall of Fame
A museum dedicated entirely to the history of barbering, featuring antique barber chairs, vintage clippers, and a dedicated room housing over 75 rotating barber poles.
Oddities & curiosities in Columbus — FAQ
Which oddity shops & curiosities in Columbus are the strangest?
Ranked by how strange they actually are: WitchLab, The Magical Druid and Cora's Curiosities. WitchLab — Blurring the lines between magic, science, and art, WitchLab is a massive 2,500-square-foot occult, oddities, and antiques shop.
Where in Columbus are they?
Across Franklinton, Clintonville, Near East Side, Hilltop and Canal Winchester. Each listing gives the neighborhood and address so you can cluster a couple into one outing.
Is this a good weird date in Columbus?
That's what the list is built for. Every entry has a specific move rather than a vague recommendation — at WitchLab, for instance: Sign up for one of their evening workshops or browse their 'vampire-queen-esque' self-care section before sharing a pot of their hand-blended loose-leaf tea.
How were these oddity shops & curiosities chosen?
An agentic research system digs for the genuinely obscure — the spots even locals miss — and every one is verified against real sources before it makes the list. We deliberately skip the landmarks already on every Columbus guide.