The Museum of Hoaxes, a non-profit (c)(3) corporation, was founded on April 1st 2001, in accordance with the last will and testament of Hoax enthusiast Francis Abel, brother of world famous American prankster Alan Abel. the Society for Indecency to Naked Animals, Francis Abel is best known for his many failed pranks. In his later life, Francis began collecting objects and evidence for some of the
world’s best and worst hoaxes, including the famed Amityville Horror house located in Amityville, New York. On April 1st, 2000, Francis Abel died in a mysterious plane crash, his body never found. He had no surviving children or heirs, and thus bequeathed his Amityville estate to the formation of a museum that he hoped would be his legacy. The main galleries of the Museum of Hoaxes primarily focus on six types of hoaxes including International, Scientific, Political, Historical, Urban Legends and Internet. The Museum of Hoaxes has the most comprehensive collection of hoax related materials in the world. This unique collection of objects and archival material includes: mannequins, news paper articles, animatronics, taxidermy animals and various other objects in the fabrication of hoaxes. In addition, the Museum houses an extensive collection of photographs, video and audio tapes of known hoaxes. Some photographs include the Cottingley Fairies, Kenneth Wilson’s "The Surgeon's Photo" of the Loch Ness Monster and Bonsai Kitten. The Museum of Hoaxes’ exhibits seek to promote knowledge about the phenomenon of hoaxes. To ensure the mission of the Museum is carried out, The Museum of Hoaxes works in conjunction with other historic and scientific institutions, including the Enigma Museum, to ensure the objects collected are in fact hoaxes and that there is no historic or scientific evidence supporting its authenticity. Most importantly, members of the Museum of Hoaxes are always available to assist the public in regards to professional research and investigations.
*DISCLAIMER THIS IS NOT A REAL MUSEUM. THIS IS FOR A SCHOOL PROJECT* *DISCLAIMER THIS IS NOT A REAL MUSEUM.
