The Disgusting Food Museum’s director, Andreas Ahrens, became intrigued by the idea of “gross” food after achieving great success with his previous venture, the Museum of Failure. Seeing how an exhibit could shift people’s reactions to disappointment and dashed expectations, Ahrens wondered if exploring the psychology behind why we find certain foods disgusting might change our perception of taste.


This curiosity led to the creation of the museum. For lead curator Dr. Samuel West, a psychologist and longtime collaborator of Ahrens, the cultural hypocrisy surrounding meat consumption was the main attraction. He was eager to challenge visitors to consider why they eagerly eat pork yet shun sustainable protein sources like insects.

“I want people to question what they find disgusting,” West explained. To decide which foods qualified as the most “disgusting” and worthy of a place in the museum, West and Ahrens assembled a panel to evaluate 250 foods using four key criteria: taste, smell, texture, and background—the latter referring to how the animals involved are typically treated.

For example, pork scored highly in taste, smell, and texture, but fell short on background. The realities of factory farming became a crucial factor for Ahrens when selecting items for the Disgusting Food Museum. He admitted he initially hesitated over including pork. “I had the same reaction when we were talking about my favorites like pork and beef,” said Ahrens. “At first, I thought we couldn’t include them.

But it became clear we had to, because of the factory farming and environmental impact.” Inside the museum, screens show shocking footage: geese being force-fed for foie gras, cobra hearts beaten in Vietnam, and fish being eaten while still alive in Japan.

Yet, when it comes to what truly makes food disgusting, the answer goes beyond just animal cruelty. Indeed, while an American might recoil at balut, West and Ahrens argue that Western culture has little room to judge the culinary habits of other countries.

“Our current meat production is highly unsustainable, and we urgently need to explore alternatives,” West added. “Yet many people are disgusted by eating insects or skeptical of lab-grown meat. If we can shift perceptions of what is considered disgusting, it could help pave the way toward more sustainable protein sources.” After exploring Sweden’s Disgusting Food Museum through 28 shocking images, check out 15 gross Medieval foods people actually ate—and then discover 18 more questionable dishes from around the world.