John's World Special..."number two"

I have found it hard to pass up an off-the-wall museum when its offered to me.  I have had the great pleasure of visiting the American Kazoo Museum in Beaufort, South Carolina, the Currywurst Museum in Berlin, and the Mutter Museum (medical oddities) in Philadelphia.  All get a thumbs up from me.  So when Brinda's fellow Fulbrighter Heather and her husband Kwan asked if we wanted to go to the International Museum of Toilets here in Delhi, how could we refuse.


The museum is located with in a larger complex run by Sulabh International a think "tank" (get it) dedicated to changing hygiene standards in India.  The organization, founded by Dr. Bindeshwar Pathnak, builds community toilets throughout India and commits themselves to sanitation research.  One of the main goals is to wipe away (get it) the practice of open defecation and having "scavenger" caste individuals clean up "dry toilet" waste. 

The museum houses several artifacts of toilets across cultures.  There were examples of portable toilets, military latrines, NASA poop bags, and even a replica of Lois the XIV's toilet he would actually use while holding royal court.    The walls of the museum were filled with funny posters, health facts about of not holding in your farts (my boys must be very healthy), and historical data tracing the long running (get it) history of the commode. 
for the discerning gentlemen


portable military latrine

Outside the museum one can tour the various prototypes of the Sulabh toilet.  Additionally, there are several areas where one can see biological research being done on how to take waste water and make it potable again.  Although I didn't have the pleasure, one can also eat at the kitchen whose stoves run off of human feces. 
The Sulabh toilet

our tour guide

great form


In the end (get it), the museum really makes you give a shit (get it) about the role this everyday item has in our lives.

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