But in 2018, The Thing experienced a major glow-up. Millions of dollars were poured into the facility to make this a true themed attraction. The result is still The Thing, but now there is actually a theme!
Contemporary The Thing is what would happen if an eight-year-old wrote for Ancient Aliens. The story that connects everything is that warring alien factions have been involved in affairs on Earth for millions of years. They had the technology to enslave dinosaurs, but eventually, the dinosaurs rebelled. Evil aliens then sent the asteroid to kill off the dinos.
Once the dinosaurs were gone, aliens eventually interfered with human affairs. Once it gets to this point, the story is all standard alien theory shenanigans. Did the aliens build the pyramids? Are aliens in the government? All that good stuff.
What makes this part of the museum funny, though, is that it still makes use of some of the museum’s old artifacts. The farm equipment that was once presented without context is now… well, presented without context again. The Rolls-Royce that was ridden by Hitler is now, more appropriately, ridden by Winston Churchill. Oh, and an alien is driving him, naturally.
All of this builds up to The Thing, the centerpiece that still holds this entire affair together. Don’t worry, The Thing is still just fake mummies. Now it is housed in an exhibit that’s more than just haphazard cinder blocks, though, so that’s nice.
The real story of The Thing, though, isn’t about aliens or mummies or dinosaurs. The Thing feels like it is dislodged in time. It’s a sideshow attraction that feels like it should be from the early 20th century, but instead, it opened in 1965, and now it’s still going strong today. It might mostly just exist to be made fun of today, but there is something to admire about it in a kitschy way. I-10 would be worse without it.
Top Image: Bowlin Travel Centers/Wiki Commons
Related: Citizens Of Arizona Might Finally Get To Own Nunchucks
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Source: Pinoy Daily News
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