City: Portland, ME

Category: Tours & Attractions

Telephone: (207) 766-4496

Description: The Umbrella Cover Museum (UCM) is by far one of the weirdest collections of off-the-wall art we’ve come across. Billing itself brazenly (and, most likely, accurately) as the world’s only museum dedicated solely to umbrella covers, the UCM is run by curator, director, and founder Nancy 3 Hoffman, a local musician who lives on Peaks Island. Covers at the museum include everything from the traditional print and colored nylon to those made out of bizarre materials like bubble-gum wrappers and bulletproof Kevlar. To get to the museum, you’ll have to take a 20-minute ferry from the mainland; but if you enjoy extreme, off-the-beaten-path kitsch, the UCM is worth the ride. The UCM was first conceived of in 1992 when, according to the museum Web site, Hoffman realized how enchanting umbrella covers are when she was compelled to steal one off an umbrella in a dime store. Since the museum’s grand opening in Hoffman’s kitchen in 1996, the 80-plus cover collection has grown so large that it’s been transferred from Hoffman’s home to its own building on Island Avenue. The Umbrella Cover Museum is open during the summer, and guided tours are available for a suggested donation of $2 per person. As an added bonus, Hoffman treats every tour group to her rendition of the song “Let a Smile Be Your Umbrella,” complete with accordion accompaniment. Call ahead for museum hours, as they can change.