As a "believer" and subscriber to Cliff's "Beyond Bigfoot, With Cliff & Bobo" podcast and lifelong enthusiast of "it's more fun to believe", I thank you for your snark free, unbiased, informative, and somewhat educational treatment of the subject and the NABC. If you personally, or any of your regular readers are interested in a well balanced intro to the bigfoot/sasquatch subject I would steer you to Laura Krantz's Wild Thing podcast. She's a credible staff journalist of NPR as well as a relation of a pioneering figure in biology and primate research, Grover Krantz. https://www.foxtopus.ink/wildthing-bigfoot
Thanks again for the interesting read and break from my chemistry homework ;)
Very nice article. I live in Ohio but hope to visit the NABC in the very near future. I have been interested in the topic since 1968 when I received material from a manangement employee at the Toledo Zoo. I have always felt the sightings fell into three categories. The first are the obvious hoaxers, which are plentiful. The second grouping falls into simply misidentified spieces and the third category consists of actual sightings by many reputable individuals who have nothing to gain and the possibility of their reputations diminished. Footprints, visual sightings, unidentified hair and DNA samples are readily available.
The Native American cultures from all over North America have included Sasquatch in their customs handed down from generations. They are included in many ceremonies and on their Totem, which also included other animals native to their habitat. These were animals they came in contact with, not folklore and they all exist today. Why would they make up a "phantom" animal? They have dozens of different names for this creature throughout the individual tribes.
So yes, I believe they exist. From the thousands of sightings through the decades, it only takes one for the species to exist.
Thank you for commenting! I hope you do get the chance to visit the NABC. Learning how native cultures worldwide have described Sasquatches (or similar creatures) was a very interesting part of this museum, and an eye-opening way to refute the "people are just making things up" narrative.
As a sasquatch enthusiast from the age of 9, when I first remember becoming aware of and seeing the P/G film for the first time, I'm constantly on the lookout for more evidence. My hope is that I'll have a sasquatch sighting (from a safe distance) during my lifetime. I definitely will go visit the Sasquatch Museum!
Thanks, Sue! I was going to update with your note about the CA museum, but then realized that was a DIFFERENT CA Bigfoot museum. There's also one in Willow Creek. So Bigfoot persists...
And yes, I met Jane Goodall once and she signed one of her books for me. It was a true honor! I, too, was blown away to read her thoughts on this matter.
Update: subscribers have alerted me to the International Cryptozoology Museum in Maine and possible Bigfoot sightings in Wisconsin. No matter where you go, you can’t escape him!
Christine: This is a fun journey you've shared with us. I'm intrigued about what the motorist who alleges that he spotted Bigfoot on the way home from work had to say, and whether he went straight home or stopped by the pub first.
Thanks, Douglas! I also wrote a comment under your Restack. There was no pub mentioned, to my recollection. The guy was pretty hyped about his story, though.
What a cool museum! And I love "Douglas Fur" as a mascot name in the PNW!
There's a cozy mystery series set in Wisconsin and the main character/investigator is a cryptozoologist who runs a bookstore! Reading about the scientific displays at the Bigfoot museum reminded me of how the main character in this series talks about the possibility for the existence of cryptids. I'm mostly a skeptic, but when I'm in my tent alone and hear rustling outside, I'll believe in anything!
The first in the series (Death in Door County by Annelise Ryan) is about a Loch Ness-esque monster in Lake Michigan and the second one (Beast of the North Woods--which I haven't read yet) is about the Hodag, a mythical monster of Wisconsin! They are quick and fun reads, but probably still not something I'd recommend when alone in a cabin in the woods...
Oooh, interesting--thanks for the tips on the books! Cozy mystery and cryptozoology are two concepts I wouldn't expect to see blended, but sounds intriguing. And yeah, memories from the NABC could keep me up at night the next time I sleep in the woods...
I like to just hike and believe, but have nothing to report. I'd never have the patience to explore the museums and find their explanations excessive. I hike the Gifford Pinchot frequently and don't really want to meet Sasquatch but love that they/he/she might be there watching me.
Just hike and believe sounds like a good plan, especially in the G.P. forest! This was, by far, the most detailed and scientific of the Bigfoot museums I've visited.
Seems unlikely, but it could be. Myths aren't necessarily untrue, but often express a truth in a non-linear way. Small museums with specialty subjects are always the most fun to visit.
That's awesome!! You may have noticed that I watermark my photos with Bigfoot. It's always fun to figure out where he should appear in each picture. Sometimes he surprises me!
Christine,
As a "believer" and subscriber to Cliff's "Beyond Bigfoot, With Cliff & Bobo" podcast and lifelong enthusiast of "it's more fun to believe", I thank you for your snark free, unbiased, informative, and somewhat educational treatment of the subject and the NABC. If you personally, or any of your regular readers are interested in a well balanced intro to the bigfoot/sasquatch subject I would steer you to Laura Krantz's Wild Thing podcast. She's a credible staff journalist of NPR as well as a relation of a pioneering figure in biology and primate research, Grover Krantz. https://www.foxtopus.ink/wildthing-bigfoot
Thanks again for the interesting read and break from my chemistry homework ;)
Rob
Thanks for your thoughtful comment--and for the recommendation of the Wild Thing podcast. Sounds intriguing--I'll definitely check it out!
Very nice article. I live in Ohio but hope to visit the NABC in the very near future. I have been interested in the topic since 1968 when I received material from a manangement employee at the Toledo Zoo. I have always felt the sightings fell into three categories. The first are the obvious hoaxers, which are plentiful. The second grouping falls into simply misidentified spieces and the third category consists of actual sightings by many reputable individuals who have nothing to gain and the possibility of their reputations diminished. Footprints, visual sightings, unidentified hair and DNA samples are readily available.
The Native American cultures from all over North America have included Sasquatch in their customs handed down from generations. They are included in many ceremonies and on their Totem, which also included other animals native to their habitat. These were animals they came in contact with, not folklore and they all exist today. Why would they make up a "phantom" animal? They have dozens of different names for this creature throughout the individual tribes.
So yes, I believe they exist. From the thousands of sightings through the decades, it only takes one for the species to exist.
Thank you for commenting! I hope you do get the chance to visit the NABC. Learning how native cultures worldwide have described Sasquatches (or similar creatures) was a very interesting part of this museum, and an eye-opening way to refute the "people are just making things up" narrative.
As a sasquatch enthusiast from the age of 9, when I first remember becoming aware of and seeing the P/G film for the first time, I'm constantly on the lookout for more evidence. My hope is that I'll have a sasquatch sighting (from a safe distance) during my lifetime. I definitely will go visit the Sasquatch Museum!
I found it fascinating--definitely worth a visit! From a safe distance would be totally cool...
Once you do see one, as I have, you KNOW they're real!
Feel free to vote in the poll above, if you haven't yet!
That was WAY too fun! :) :) :) I'm blown away to read that 1) You've MET Jane Goodall (???!!!), and 2) Jane Goodall is so squishy about Big Foot!
Also, in case you didn't hear, the Big Foot museum near Santa Cruz, CA (in Felton) is probably closed by now. The guy was selling the land and all the stuff. Here's an article from Dec. of 2024. https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/bigfoot-discovery-museum-santa-cruz-california-19952636.php
Thanks, Sue! I was going to update with your note about the CA museum, but then realized that was a DIFFERENT CA Bigfoot museum. There's also one in Willow Creek. So Bigfoot persists...
And yes, I met Jane Goodall once and she signed one of her books for me. It was a true honor! I, too, was blown away to read her thoughts on this matter.
I had no idea there were so many museums dedicated to Bigfoot! What a fun post.
Thanks! It's a big thing out here.:) I've been to two of the West Coast museums, but I bet there are many more around the US and Canada.
Update: subscribers have alerted me to the International Cryptozoology Museum in Maine and possible Bigfoot sightings in Wisconsin. No matter where you go, you can’t escape him!
Christine: This is a fun journey you've shared with us. I'm intrigued about what the motorist who alleges that he spotted Bigfoot on the way home from work had to say, and whether he went straight home or stopped by the pub first.
Thanks, Douglas! I also wrote a comment under your Restack. There was no pub mentioned, to my recollection. The guy was pretty hyped about his story, though.
What a cool museum! And I love "Douglas Fur" as a mascot name in the PNW!
There's a cozy mystery series set in Wisconsin and the main character/investigator is a cryptozoologist who runs a bookstore! Reading about the scientific displays at the Bigfoot museum reminded me of how the main character in this series talks about the possibility for the existence of cryptids. I'm mostly a skeptic, but when I'm in my tent alone and hear rustling outside, I'll believe in anything!
The first in the series (Death in Door County by Annelise Ryan) is about a Loch Ness-esque monster in Lake Michigan and the second one (Beast of the North Woods--which I haven't read yet) is about the Hodag, a mythical monster of Wisconsin! They are quick and fun reads, but probably still not something I'd recommend when alone in a cabin in the woods...
Oooh, interesting--thanks for the tips on the books! Cozy mystery and cryptozoology are two concepts I wouldn't expect to see blended, but sounds intriguing. And yeah, memories from the NABC could keep me up at night the next time I sleep in the woods...
I like to just hike and believe, but have nothing to report. I'd never have the patience to explore the museums and find their explanations excessive. I hike the Gifford Pinchot frequently and don't really want to meet Sasquatch but love that they/he/she might be there watching me.
Just hike and believe sounds like a good plan, especially in the G.P. forest! This was, by far, the most detailed and scientific of the Bigfoot museums I've visited.
Seems unlikely, but it could be. Myths aren't necessarily untrue, but often express a truth in a non-linear way. Small museums with specialty subjects are always the most fun to visit.
Small museums (and quirky museums) are definitely fun to check out!
That's awesome!! You may have noticed that I watermark my photos with Bigfoot. It's always fun to figure out where he should appear in each picture. Sometimes he surprises me!