The Museum of Bad Art (MOBA) is a museum located in Somerville, Massachusetts, United States. It was founded in 1993 and is dedicated to collecting, preserving, and exhibiting bad art. The museum has three branches in Massachusetts and displays a variety of art forms including paintings, sculptures, and prints.
The museum's collection includes over 700 pieces of art and is divided into several themes, including "Unseen Forces," "Portraits Gone Wrong," and "Landscapes of the Mind." The artworks in the collection have been found at yard sales, thrift stores, and in trash piles, and are generally characterized by their poor craftsmanship, bizarre subject matter, and unintentionally humorous or disturbing qualities.
The Museum of Bad Art has gained a significant following over the years and has been featured in numerous media outlets, including The New York Times, NPR, and the BBC. The museum also offers tours, lectures, and film screenings, and has published several books featuring selections from its collection. While the museum does not claim to be a serious institution, it aims to celebrate the creativity and joy of art, even when it falls short of traditional standards of excellence.