ABITA SPRINGS, La. — Road trips are often about the destination, but sometimes it’s the unexpected stop along the way that leaves the biggest impression. Tucked just off the beaten path in Abita Springs, the Abita Mystery House invites visitors to slow down, look closer and step into a world where curiosity rules and nothing quite makes sense by design.
We’ve all collected something in our lifetime, but imagine collecting over a million different things that you just randomly find. One man in Abita did, and he opened the Abita Mystery House.
That man is John Preble, the creator and owner of the attraction, which he describes as less of a museum and more of an experience.
“The Abita Mystery House is a folk art environment basically, that’s what the art critics call it,” Preble said. “But I just call it a fun house.”
Walking through the property feels like stepping into a puzzle built from everyday objects, discarded items and playful imagination. Preble doesn’t shy away from the chaos he adds to it.
“Well, it’s hard to describe this place without using the word junk,” Preble said. “So it’s just a mystery house. And if I told you, it wouldn’t be a mystery.”
The best part about this place is that it’s all wacky and nothing really makes sense.
Not everyone feels the same way, and Preble is perfectly fine with that.
“It’s not for everyone,” said Preble. “We’ve had some people who just don’t like it. They come in, they leave and say this is a bunch of junk. We like those people, actually. You have to have a sense of humor. We’re having fun here.”
The Abita Mystery House is now 26 years old, but its story began after Preble visited a quirky attraction called Tinkertown while selling his own paintings in Albuquerque, N.M.
“The guy was having more fun than me,” Preble said with a laugh. “And that’s not allowed. I need to have more fun than anybody.”
That philosophy has shaped the Mystery House ever since. For more than twenty years, Preble has added something new every single day.
“Oh, we’re still adding every day,” he said. “I add something. You have to. You can’t break the chain.”
Among the standout exhibits is the signature Bass-A-Gator — a 22-foot-long creature that’s part bass, part alligator — stationed near an Airstream trailer said to have once been struck by a flying saucer. Nearby, a 1920s barn has been transformed into the “House of Shards,” decorated with more than 15,000 pieces of glass and pottery.
The attraction also features miniature displays of Louisiana towns, each crafted with its own personality, humor and local flavor. It is a playful tribute to the state’s culture and character.
For visitors, the Mystery House offers more than just oddities. It’s an escape from the ordinary, a place where imagination replaces expectation and laughter is part of the admission.
