Entry No. 62 — the Des Moines file — filed under: oddities

World Oddities Expo — Taxidermy & Pinning Classes

Once a year the World Oddities Expo rolls into the Iowa Events Center with a roster of genuinely strange hands-on classes you can register for on top of admission. Couples can pin and shadow-box their own butterfly, mount a responsibly sourced rabbit head into a 3D-horned 'Bunnicorn,' do a full-body rat taxidermy, or articulate a complete rat skeleton from loose bones. Instructors supply everything and walk you through start to finish; the 2026 Des Moines weekend is August 22-23.

The move: Sign up together for the Bunnicorn class and mount a horned rabbit head as a souvenir of the weirdest date you've ever booked.

📍 Before you go Only happens one weekend a year (Aug 22-23, 2026). Classes are add-ons above expo admission and fill fast: butterfly pinning ~$125, full-body rat ~$250, Bunnicorn ~$300, rat skeleton articulation ~$275 (16+). Reserve class slots in advance.

• 📍 Downtown Des Moines
• 💸 $$
• ⚡ Up for anything
• 🌗 Indoors

Where: Iowa Events Center, Hall C, 730 Third St, Des Moines, IA 50309

Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.

⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Proof: source 1 · source 2 · source 3

last checked: 2026-06-23