The Thing?

The Thing is a roadside museum in Dragoon in southern Arizona with roughly 12,000 square feet of exhibition space filled with curious objects and display cases. The collection ranges from mummified bodies and antique weapons to dinosaur models and extraterrestrial figures in absurd scenes.

Thomas Binkley Prince opened this location in 1965 as a mysterious attraction for travelers along Interstate 10, initially charging 25 cents admission. After his death in 1969, Bowlin Travel Centers took over the site and expanded the exhibits over the years.

This roadside stop connects desert highway culture with conspiracy theories through display cases showing extraterrestrials and prehistoric creatures. Travelers experience a classic American road-trip attraction that has drawn curious drivers for decades with mysterious marketing and absurd staging.

The entrance sits directly off Interstate 10 at Exit 322 near Dragoon and opens daily from seven in the morning until seven in the evening. Parking is available right in front of the building, and the entire walkthrough takes about half an hour.

Dozens of yellow billboards along Interstate 10 advertise the museum for hundreds of miles with cryptic questions. Among the exhibits is an extraterrestrial creature sitting on a velociraptor while holding a pistol.