A gray, dome-shaped metal pod with a hatch and control dials sits on a concrete platform surrounded by dense green bamboo and plants in bright sunlight.

Inside the Abita Mystery House: The Strangest Attraction Near New Orleans

ByNatalie Rushing

If you like weird, nostalgic art that disturbs you just a little, the Abita Mystery House was made for you.

Living about forty minutes away and unable to think of a better way to spend a perfect-weather Sunday, I decided to finally check it out. It’s the kind of roadside attraction that doesn’t really get made anymore. These days, convenience tends to win out over novelty, and travelers are more likely to stretch their legs at one-stop travel megashops like Buc-ee’s than wander through someone’s carefully curated collection of interesting junk.

And that’s exactly what the Abita Mystery House is. It isn’t polished, and it’s definitely not “Instagram weird.” The space is made up of several rooms packed with junk art, a small gift shop, and an outdoor area complete with a UFO. Inside, you’ll find old toys, signs, and doll heads arranged in ways that are equal parts creepy and funny. It feels less like a museum and more like someone turned a corner of the city dump into a hidden clubhouse and decorated it entirely with objects that haven’t seen the light of day in decades.

What to Know Before You Go

Location: 22275 Highway 36, Abita Springs, LA 70420-3854. It’s about an hour north of New Orleans.

Cost: $5 per person. You actually pay to get out, not in, which is actually on-brand for this place.

How long to spend there? Technically you could rush through in about 30 minutes, but you’ll likely want to stay longer to really take everything in, at least an hour to 1.5 hours. Though you really could spend all day if you wanted.

Bring quarters if you want to interact with the art displays.

Where Else to Go

The museum is close to cute downtown Abita Springs that you could explore. The Abita Brewery is close by as well, where you can take a tour or just enjoy some brews and food truck food.

Walking Through the Abita Mystery House

I said it before–they don’t make ’em like this anymore. This is a situation where photos tell the story better…

A vintage arcade machine displays a scene with a mannequin scientist and a floating, severed head. The mannequin has disheveled hair, wires, and a spider nearby, with illuminated buttons labeled START and AFTER at the bottom.

Idk even what this is…

There are a lot of setups where you push a button and it lights up, or the figurines inside dance, or the display otherwise comes to life.

A colorful diorama titled Martians at Mardi Gras displays small figurines in festive poses, a large Mardi Gras float with a jester mask, and miniature buildings, all enclosed in a glass case with reflections.

A detailed miniature diorama of Rudy’s Rainbow Lounge shows figures dancing, playing music, and socializing inside a lively, colorful bar. A disco ball hangs from the ceiling and a dog stands outside the entrance.

It reminded me a lot of the Cathedral of Junk in Austin. It wasn’t just any random junk–it was repurposed as art.

A wooden wall at the Abita Mystery House features hand-painted text listing “Alligators, Water Moccasins, Yellow Jackets + Politics” to warn visitors. Surrounding it are eclectic stickers, posters, and objects welcoming you to Louisiana.

A glass display case contains a mummified mermaid-like figure with a human skull and fish body. The backdrop is a painted aquatic scene, and a red plush object sits inside the case. The setting appears old and cluttered.

I don’t know how anyone could stand to have all this old stuff around (I loveee decluttering, personally. I could never.) but I’m glad that John Preble, the artist, did.

A hand-painted wooden sign at Abita Mystery House reads, This property is being restored to the Jurassic Age. U.S. park permit applied for, with a dinosaur drawing and DINO LAND label, surrounded by colorful painted decorations.
A gray, dome-shaped metal pod with a hatch and control dials sits on a concrete platform surrounded by dense green bamboo and plants in bright sunlight.

In the back, there’s a UFO with steps so you can get in if you’d like. I did not–lots of muck and dead leaves in there.

A calico cat is lying stretched out on a stone step in the sunlight, surrounded by greenery and fallen leaves, much like a scene you might find at the quirky Abita Mystery House.

The most unbothered cat…

Several old typewriters covered in leaves rest on a weathered wooden roof in a wooded area, with the Abita Mystery House’s metallic dome-shaped structure visible among the trees in the background.

Of course you’d put your old typewriters by your UFO…

A large, weathered shark sculpture lies partially covered by a rustic shelter with a corrugated metal roof at the Abita Mystery House, surrounded by dense greenery and scattered debris in an outdoor, wooded area.

Meet Buford the Bassigator

Final Thoughts: Is the Abita Mystery House Worth Stopping For?

YES–if you’re someone who likes this kind of thing and you’re nearby already. It’s not a destination by itself, but if you’re already close, it’s absolutely worth stopping for. It’s weird for the sake of weird. Those who get it, get it, but it’s definitely not for everyone.

Bonus pro tip: If you’ve just started dating someone and want to really get a grasp on their personality, try taking them here–their reaction will tell you a lot.

I hope I’ve inspired you to check out the Abita Mystery House, or other little weird stops like this near you!

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A round, metallic, UFO-like structure with a small door and dials sits outdoors among trees at the Abita Mystery House. Text reads: Travel Guide: The Weirdest Attraction Near New Orleans. outsideryodyssey.com.

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