ChinaShop

Upon first glance, The Bunny Museum might not seem out of place in an old Twilight Zone episode: Nestled in a quiet Pasadena suburb, the 1928 Spanish-stucco house is owned by a pair of rabid (ha!) though all-too-human rabbit aficionados–and not by giant hind-legged ambassadors of a planet of bunnies who greet their earthling visitors cheerily while they keep a steaming vat of human stew simmering in the back. Though I was a bit alarmed when I tried to shake hands with owner Candace Frazee, who insisted cheerfully that “We don’t shake hands here at the Bunny Museum. Instead there’s the ‘Bunny Bump.’” For the layperson, this means a peace sign, or bunny ears, and then a traditional ‘knuckle’ fist bump. As I surveyed the house, I found myself at a loss for words: It’s like one of those foam pits you used to see in a gymnastics or P.E. class, except it is FILLED WITH THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF BUNNIES.

Bunnies line the walls, hang from the ceiling, haunt the backyard. Visitors are encouraged to draw bunnies with chalk on the Museum’s driveway. There’s even a bunny-shaped mini-pool. How does something like this happen? Candace and Steven have dedicated most of their adult lives to collecting at least one piece of bunny memorabilia each day,  usually more. Over a period of 20 + years, this has amounted to nearly 25,000 total bunnies. There’s even a giant porcelain bunny on the front lawn, covered in ivy, Edward Scissorhands-style. Indeed, this seems the very inter-dimensional timewarp Tim Burton might dig.

In addition to the thousands of stuffed, porcelain, and glass rabbits that surround you, there is bunny cereal, a bunny garden, three ex-rabbits who live on in a glass cabinet, and ostensibly every single notable bunny character from 20th century cinema–the bunny from Alice in Wonderland, Roger Rabbit, Bugs Bunny, Nestle Quick Bunny– lies around the house, sometimes in droves. Missing, sadly, was the killer rabbit from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Candace admitted with some chagrin that she simply hasn’t been able to find one, despite years of looking. Their mission began on their first date when Steven greeted his future wife with one bunny-related item–soon, Candace was calling Steven “hunny bunny,” and they were exchanging bunny gifts each time they went on a date. To promote her exploits further, Candace even wrote a book called There is An Answer: Living in a Post-Apocalyptic World, both an analyzation of Swedish theologian Emanuel Swedenborg, her correspondence with several celebrities based on her beliefs, and featuring pictures of her Bunny Museum. Several famous people have stopped by–among them, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs. If you’re in the area, check it out–although you may have no interest in bunnies, if your jaw doesn’t hit the floor, check your pulse.

The Bunny Museum–1933 Jefferson Drive Pasadena, CA 91104

Words and Photos by Jeff Nau

4.50 (8 votes)

 Loading ...