The Museum of Childhood in Edinburgh has posted its contribution to a nationwide competition asking museums to reveal their 'creepiest item'.
Started by the Yorkshire Museum, the hilarious challenge has been named the 'curatorbattle', asking others to find the most unsettling item in their archives, the responses to which do not disappoint.
The Edinburgh visitor attraction's entry features an unnerving and odd looking baby in a box, which is actually a bar of soap. Named the 'Smile and Cry' baby, one side features a supposedly 'happy' side, with a smile that would give most people nightmares. The other side depicts a sad face. According to the curator, the piece was created during the 1950s.
Contributions from other museums have been equally frightening, with the Yorkshire Museum, who started the challenge, posting a 3rd/4th century hair bun from the burial of a roman woman, with her hair pins still in place.
Perhaps the most terrifying entry comes from the National Sciences Museum, who added a picture of a Barnum-style 'mermaid' that was constructed through taxidermy, that looks more like a mutant fish coming out of its skin. Not quite the Disney Little Mermaid image that is initially conjured when you think of the mythical sea creature.
Another suggestion worthy of a horror film was posted by a user that featured Alexander Peden's mask, found at the National Museum of Scotland, that was used by the preacher to travel through the southwest of Scotland. The user commented: "You'd think this guy riding into town would raise ALL the alarm bells".
