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Museums Exhibits

Alabama museum of lost luggage displays unpacked 'treasures,' from old artifacts to autographed memorabilia

Unclaimed Baggage Museum in Scottsboro, Alabama, to open on April 21, featuring odd and unique finds: See the photos

By Cortney D. Moore Fox News
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Unclaimed Baggage, a retail store that sells lost luggage in Alabama is opening a museum in Scottsboro to show the standout oddities the business has collected in its 53 years of operation.

The store, which is headquartered in Scottsboro, will open an Unclaimed Baggage Museum on Friday, April 21, at the company’s 509 West Willow Street location. 

More than 100 items will be put on display as "found treasures," according to Unclaimed Baggage’s Public Relations Manager Sonni Hood, who made an announcement on April 11 from the lost luggage retailer’s YouTube account.

All the displayed items were unpacked from suitcases that were left unclaimed, Hood explained in the promotional video.

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Unclaimed Baggage wrote in a press release that its curated collection includes historic finds such as ancient Egyptian artifacts from 1500 B.C., primitive hair tools, plaques from antiquity, suits of armor, a violin from 1772, a 19th-century box camera and a Victorian-era hand fan.

  • Shrunken heads on display at Unclaimed Baggage Museum.
    Image 1 of 10

    The Unclaimed Baggage Museum has human shrunken heads on display that were once found in a person's luggage. (Unclaimed Baggage)

  • Three statues from Asia on display at Unclaimed Baggage Museum.
    Image 2 of 10

    The Unclaimed Baggage Museum has porcelain and clay statues from Asia on display, including a samurai, deity and armored man. (Unclaimed Baggage)

  • Cultural masks on display at Unclaimed Baggage Museum.
    Image 3 of 10

    The Unclaimed Baggage Museum has a variety of cultural masks on display. (Unclaimed Baggage)

  • Masks, headwear, fashion accessories and decor on display at Unclaimed Baggage Museum.
    Image 4 of 10

    Masks, headwear, fashion accessories and decor are on display at the Unclaimed Baggage Museum  (Unclaimed Baggage)

  • Close up view of suit of armor, swords and protective gear at Unclaimed Baggage Museum.
    Image 5 of 10

    A suit of armor, swords and other protective gear are seen at the Unclaimed Baggage Museum. (Unclaimed Baggage)

  • A set of silver spoons on display at Unclaimed Baggage Museum.
    Image 6 of 10

    The Unclaimed Baggage Museum has a set of silver spoons on display. (Unclaimed Baggage)

  • A model wooden ship on display at Unclaimed Baggage Museum.
    Image 7 of 10

    Visitors of the Unclaimed Baggage Museum can view a handmade model ship that spans over four-feet wide. (Unclaimed Baggage)

  • A mannequin with bagpipes and Various instruments on display at the Unclaimed Baggage Museum.
    Image 8 of 10

    The Unclaimed Baggage Museum has a variety of historic and cultural instruments on display. (Unclaimed Baggage)

  • 19th-century sextant on display at Unclaimed Baggage Museum.
    Image 9 of 10

    The Unclaimed Baggage Museum features a 19th-century sextant. (Unclaimed Baggage)

  • A Victorian-era hand fan on display at Unclaimed Baggage Museum.
    Image 10 of 10

    The Unclaimed Baggage Museum will have a Victorian-era hand fan on display. (Unclaimed Baggage)

Other notable unique finds include an Hermes necklace from the 1980s, a basketball signed by Michael Jordan and a Hoggle dwarf puppet mask from Jim Henson’s fantasy film "Labyrinth," which starred David Bowie.

"People are endlessly curious about the variety and wonder of items discovered in unclaimed bags," said Bryan Owens, CEO of Unclaimed Baggage, in a statement. 

"We’ve seen it all," he continued. "Our store is like an archeological dig, with unclaimed treasures telling stories about people and culture over time and from all parts of the world."

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Unclaimed Baggage was founded in 1970 by Owens’ father, Doyle Owens, who started the business after he purchased a load of unclaimed bags from a travel company and sold the contents to the public, according to a promotional video for the Unclaimed Baggage Museum on Vimeo.

Suit of armor, swords, Hoggle mask and a historic string instrument on display at Unclaimed Baggage Museum.

The Unclaimed Baggage Museum has suits of armor, swords, a mask designed after Hoggle from 'Labrynth' and a historic string instrument on display. (Unclaimed Baggage)

The lost luggage retailer continues to source its inventory from domestic airlines, transportation companies and other travel businesses, according to Unclaimed Baggage's website.

"Airline passengers waiting for their bags upon arrival are almost certain to see them riding atop the bag carousel," Unclaimed Baggage’s "How it Works" webpage states. "That’s because airlines use sophisticated tracking technology to reunite over 99.5% of bags with their owners right away."

"If a bag is truly lost, airlines pay out a claim to the passenger," the lost luggage retailer went on. "It’s only after an extensive three-month search that an unclaimed bag is deemed truly orphaned, a fate realized by less than 0.03% of all checked luggage! That’s where we come in."

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For the "found treasures" museum exhibition, Unclaimed Baggage partnered with museum archivists and specialists who helped the retailer with item research, exhibit designs and display installs for the unique items, Hood explained in a promo video. The museum items will be displayed in 10 groupings.

  • Hermes necklace on display at Unclaimed Baggage Museum.
    Image 1 of 4

    The Unclaimed Baggage Museum has an Hermes necklace from the 1980s on display along with other luxurious accessories and decor. (Unclaimed Baggage)

  • Trading cards and comic book art on display at Unclaimed Baggage Museum.
    Image 2 of 4

    Trading cards and comic book art are featured at the museum. (Unclaimed Baggage)

  • Deepwater helmet and robot on display at Unclaimed Baggage Museum.
    Image 3 of 4

    A deepwater helmet and a robot sits on a display stand for viewing. (Unclaimed Baggage)

  • Hoggle mask from 'Labrynth' on display at Unclaimed Baggage Museum.
    Image 4 of 4

    A dwarf mask designed after Hoggle from the fantasy film 'Labrynth,' starring David Bowie, was once in someone's "unclaimed baggage" and is on display at the Unclaimed Baggage Museum. (Unclaimed Baggage)

The Unclaimed Baggage Museum grand opening will take place on Friday at 11 a.m. with a special ribbon cutting ceremony and museum staff discussions. Games, treats and cake will be available for the celebration.

On Saturday, the museum will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and guided tours will be available for visitors. The museum will keep celebrations going with food trucks, music, vendors and games. 

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The Unclaimed Baggage Museum will continue after its opening weekend as a permanent addition to the Scottsboro-based Unclaimed Baggage store.

Cortney Danielle Moore is a writer on the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital and FOX Business.