Alive Inside!: Behind the Curtain at the Freakatorium Written by Ilise S. Carter Photographed by Evan Sung

“Half the price of a movie, but the memory of a lifetime!”

…Or so, Johnny Fox promises everyone who walks through the door of his small, but vibrant, storefront on Clinton Street. And if his expert patter recalls the big talking spiel of a sideshow barker, it isn’t unintentional. His Freakatorium is a walk-in cabinet of curiosities; a veritable history of the who’s who and what’s what of life under the canvas.

Located on the Lower East Side since 1999, The Freakatorium is the heir to New York’s rich legacy of dime museums and curiosity shops that dates all the way back to P.T. Barnum’s American Museum, which opened its doors on lower Broadway back in 1841. Fox’s collection brilliantly bridges the gap between past and present by including everything from Victorian tintypes of famous freaks to modern taxidermies of jackelopes, mink fish and other questionable fauna. And considering the Tom Thumb size of the space, this is no small feat.

Once past the gift shop with its sideshow banner t-shirts and waxwork Otto von Bismarck, the gallery space is actually surprisingly homey in an over-stuffed, Victorian way. While Johnny and his lovely assistant (and wife), Valeria, lovingly explain the highlights of the collection, their Lhasa Apsos happily patrol the floors, alternately sniffing at guests and napping contentedly. If the dogs mind sharing their domain with a live tarantula, boa constrictor and Frik and Frak, the much ballyhooed two-headed turtle, they certainly don’t show it.

With the expertise of a museum curator and the ease of a seasoned showman, Johnny carefully points out the historical and personal significance of his treasures. For example, the delicate woodcarvings made by Charles Tripp, The “Armless Wonder” (“hand” carved with his feet) -- a find, he’s quick to joke, which marked the end of his first marriage. He also points out the jaunty sombrero and matching serape he’s given the mummified chupa cabre, or Latin American goatsucker, “…now you know it’s a Mexican chupa cabre.” More than a fashion statement, this outfit is also a nod to the neighborhood’s Latin flavor.

Sadly, as at home as it is on the Lower East Side, The Freakatorium will soon be closing its doors. What started five years ago as a home for his collection, will soon be packed up and put in storage, at least for the time being. Fox is, however, surprisingly positive about the move. “I’ve done what I’ve wanted to do here.” He mentions perhaps re-opening in another, more trafficked location or even mounting a Broadway show. In the mean time, he’ll continue to appear with his swords and curiosities at the Maryland Renaissance Festival.

As we speak, the next group of visitors begins to gather in the doorway. As they stand there, shuffling nervously in the gift shop, Johnny begins to coax them in.

“… Hey, I’ll even swallow a sword for you!”

On The Web | www.freakatorium.com