SHEBOYGAN, Wis. — A Sheboygan museum believes that bathrooms don't just have to be private spaces. Instead, they can be art exhibits that tour groups walk through.
The John Michael Kohler Arts Center's (JMKAC) 10 bathrooms double as art exhibits. They've consistently been named among the most artistic bathrooms in the country. Most recently, the American Alliance of Museums said that the JMKAC bathrooms are among the best in the nation.
"We really believe here that every facet of your life can be changed, enlightened, and even improved by art," Jodi Throckmorton, who is the chief curator at the JMKAC, said.
The museum wants to turn the mundane into something spectacular. While most bathrooms seem like an afterthought or the last place for decorative design, the JMKAC wanted to reflect society, our culture, and the environment in the design. So in the 1990s, they commissioned artists to design and build one-of-a-kind bathrooms.
Stunning Bathrooms
Arguably the two most stunning bathrooms are the first ones you walk past when you enter the museum. The women's bathroom is painted bright pink. On the walls are cartoon depictions of women combined with famous fairytales. Inside each stall are images depicting the history of women's underwear.
"As you go through the stalls, you’ll see bras, corsets, and underwear, all the things that underpin - and you might see in private," Throckmorton said.
The first men's bathroom shows the history of architecture and the leaders who helped facilitate those projects.
"On one side of the wall, (the artist) tells the history or architecture, and the other sides point towards the people that make it happen - the CEOs, the leaders," Throckmorton said.
Tours
As one could expect, tourgoers are pretty surprised when Throckmorton leads them into a bathroom. However, she said all the reviews have been positive. It might not be typical of a museum tour, but it makes for a memorable one, that's for sure.
If you aren't on the tour but want to view the bathrooms, you are more than welcome to. Obviously, you can since they are the bathrooms. But if you are planning on taking photos, maybe give a courtesy knock or warning to anyone before you snap a few photos.
