Entry No. 11 — the Seattle file — filed under: oddities
Mudlark Oddities
This cabinet-of-curiosities storefront is run by head mudlark Jared Steiner and already smells the part. Otto, a real human skeleton once used in 1800s Odd Fellows lodge rituals, presides over jars of live medicinal leeches, antique occult books, preserved insects, European taxidermy, and bone jewelry. A side room doubles as a live-music venue, and prices on the medical specimens and bottles are clearly marked.
The story
True mudlarks wade through river silt at low tide searching for lost history, but head mudlark Jared Steiner built his haul right on 22nd Avenue NE in Ravenna. Step through the front door and the smell hits you immediately—a dry mix of old book paper, taxidermy preservative, and faint apothecary glass. It is a cabinet-of-curiosities brought into the physical realm, packed wall-to-wall with things that once belonged strictly in the dark.
The shop's unofficial boss is Otto, a real 19th-century human skeleton who spent his former life inside an Independent Order of Odd Fellows lodge, serving as a prop for secret initiation rituals. Around Otto's vigil sits a dense rotation of European taxidermy, bone jewelry, preserved insects, and antique occult texts. Look closer at the counter and you will find glass jars holding live medicinal leeches squirming against the glass.
What sets the room apart from elitist antique dens is its total transparency. Prices on medical specimens, wet mounts, and vintage bottles are clearly marked on tags, saving you from having to timidly ask a clerk what a human bone costs. Walk past the retail counters and you will hit a side room that quietly transforms into an intimate live-music venue and host to niche pop-ups like the Morbid Market.
What it's like
The space is cozy and packed shoulder-to-shoulder with curiosities, sitting off NE 65th Street in Ravenna. You can easily spend forty-five minutes inspecting insect mount shadowboxes and hunting through small items. If you want a quiet browse, drop by on a Thursday afternoon; weekends bring a steady crowd hunting for bone jewelry or catching live performances in the back. Note that the shop is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
The move: Hunt the shelves together for the strangest small specimen under $20, then debate which of you gets to take it home.
- 📍 Ravenna, Seattle
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 6326 22nd Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98115
Hours: Added 2026-06-24 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Edge of the Circle Books — Pair Steiner's antique occult shelf with a trip a mile south to Seattle's anchor pagan shop for esoteric supplies and rare texts.
- Ballyhoo Curiosity Shop — Turn your afternoon into a full-blown oddities crawl by comparing Ravenna's Odd Fellows skeleton with Ballard's two-headed calf.
- Theodor Jacobsen Observatory — Balance out the underground world of leeches and osteology by looking up at the sky inside an 1895 sandstone observatory just down the road.
Good to know
Who is Otto?
Otto is a real human skeleton from the 1800s, originally used in secret Odd Fellows lodge rituals, who now resides permanently in the shop.
Are the leeches actually alive?
Yes. The shop keeps jars of live medicinal leeches on display alongside wet medical specimens and preserved insects.
Do I have to negotiate or ask for prices?
No. Prices on medical specimens, vintage bottles, taxidermy, and oddities are clearly marked throughout the shop.
What are the regular shop hours?
Mudlark Oddities is open Wednesday through Sunday from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM, and closed on Monday and Tuesday.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Atlas Obscura · Official site · everout.com · boingboing.net · Reddit
last checked: 2026-06-24