In a basement near the restrooms, a unique collection challenges everything you thought you knew about art museums and what deserves to be celebrated.

Welcome to the Museum of Bad Art (MOBA), the world's only museum dedicated to showcasing "art too bad to be ignored."

Since 1993, this unconventional institution has been celebrating the works of artists whose sincere creative efforts went gloriously, hilariously wrong. With over 700 pieces in its permanent collection, MOBA displays 25 to 35 works at a time, each accompanied by thoughtful, tongue-in-cheek analysis that explores what might have possessed the artist to create such compelling disasters.

A Collection Born from the Trash

MOBA's origin story is as unconventional as its mission. In 1993, antique dealer Scott Wilson rescued a painting called Lucy in the Field with Flowers from between two trash cans in Boston. He initially wanted only the frame, but when friend Jerry Reilly saw it, he insisted on keeping both.

What started as a joke quickly gained momentum. Reilly and his wife Marie Jackson hosted basement parties to display their growing collection of magnificently flawed art. When hundreds of people started showing up to their receptions, they realized they needed proper exhibition space. The museum found its first permanent home in 1995 in the basement of the Dedham Community Theatre, appropriately located just outside the men's restroom.

Masterpieces of Magnificent Failure

MOBA's signature piece, Lucy in the Field with Flowers, depicts an elderly woman dancing in a field, apparently with a red chair attached to her behind. The painting's subject was later identified as Anna Lally Keane, whose granddaughter admitted the family had been horrified by the commissioned portrait for years.

Sunday on the Pot with George, painted in pointillist style, shows a portly man in underwear sitting on a chamber pot. Meanwhile, Bone-Juggling Dog in Hula Skirt does exactly what the title suggests. Each piece is accompanied by detailed captions analyzing the artistic choices, or lack thereof, that led to these compelling disasters.

Rigorous Standards for Badness

Getting into MOBA isn't easy. Nine out of ten submitted pieces are rejected for not being bad enough. Works must demonstrate serious artistic intent, possess an "Oh my God" quality, and above all, not be boring.

MOBA doesn't accept children's art, velvet paintings, or anything deliberately bad. The curators seek works where artists with genuine passion attempted something ambitious and failed spectacularly. As co-founder Marie Jackson explains, "We are here to celebrate an artist's right to fail, gloriously." The museum has even experienced art theft, with one piece stolen in 1996 and held for a $5,000 ransom (it was eventually returned with no payment).

Museum of Bad Art Highlights & Tips

• Lucy in the Field with Flowers MOBA's founding piece and most iconic work. The mystery of the chair, the peculiar anatomy, and the haunting facial likeness make this a must-see.
• Witty Curatorial Commentary Each artwork includes tongue-in-cheek analysis exploring the artistic choices behind these disasters. The captions are often as entertaining as the art itself.
• Guest Interpretator Collection Some works are so puzzling they invite public interpretation. Visitors can submit their own analysis through contests.
• Current Location MOBA reopened in September 2022 at the Dorchester Brewing Company's tap room in Boston after pandemic closures.
• Rotating Exhibitions With 700 pieces in the permanent collection but only 25-35 on display at once, exhibitions change regularly. Check the website for current themes.
• Perfect for Groups MOBA is famous for making visitors laugh out loud. It's an ideal spot for a fun, unconventional outing that encourages discussion and debate about art.
• Photography Welcome Unlike many traditional museums, MOBA embraces visitors capturing and sharing the wonderfully awful art on display.

The Museum of Bad Art isn't mocking artists. It's celebrating the courage to create, even when the results miss the mark spectacularly. In a world where museum-goers often feel intimidated by high art, MOBA gives everyone permission to have an opinion, to laugh, and to question what makes art good or bad.

Whether you're an art student, a curious tourist, or someone who thinks they can't appreciate art, MOBA offers a refreshingly accessible experience. Visit this one-of-a-kind institution where failure is celebrated, sincerity is honored, and every piece tells a story of artistic ambition gone wonderfully wrong.