Story: Toilet Seat Art Museum, San Antonio, TX

While enjoying the annual Pooch Parade a couple of months ago, we stumbled across an unusual local attraction: Barney Smith's Toilet Seat Art Museum. It's not something one would expect to find in the middle of the upscale Cottage District of Alamo Heights, near San Antonio, Texas.

Mr. Smith is a minor local celebrity, and has been collecting and decorating toilet seats and lids for nearly 40 years. A retired master plumber, he jokes that his wife doesn't mind his hobby, as it keeps him occupied and safely off the street. In fact, he has several seats dedicated to their many (over 60 at this count) anniversaries.

Mr. Smith has seats decorated in every possible fashion, from license plates and state specific mementos, to military insignia, to plumbing parts, to paraphernalia from the many countries he and his wife have visited. Yearly, he also does one to celebrate the Alamo Heights Pooch Parade, which winds its way past the museum. It is probably his biggest day of the year. His granddaughter was actively handing out tickets and inviting all the passers-by, spectators and pooch-paraders alike, to have a look, and inscribe the year's lid, and become part of history.

If you visit and don't see a seat that interests you, this could be your big chance. Mr. Smith is open to suggestions, and would be happy to create one to your specifications. He'll provide the seat, you provide the decoration and inspiration. When he's done, your custom seat is immortalized in this unique shrine to "the Throne."

Mr. Smith and his museum have been featured on several network television shows, including "The View," and "Montel." Of course, he has seats dedicated to the events, and a looping video so everyone can watch it again.

For more information, contact the creator/curator/proprietor, Mr. Barney Smith.

Mr. Barney Smith
239 Abiso Ave
San Antonio, TX 78209
210-824-7791
Hours of Operation: Call First