The Meguro Parasitological Museum in Tokyo is the only fully fledged one in the world. Within the seven-storey nondescript building there are 45,000 specimens of obscene, flesh-munching, brain-eating, egg-laying worms, lumps, insects and larvae.
Some of the parasites on display are gargantuan, others microscopic. There are detailed textbook illustrations of human parasites, infested dog lungs in formaldehyde and pickled turtleheads tunnelled by worms.
Despite the shocking nature of the exhibits, the museum is devoted to serious academic study. Groundbreaking research has been completed with the use of research specimens and comparative analysis facilitated by the museum.