Besides, according to Coleman, the question of whether one “believes” in Yetis or the Montauk Monster is not the crux; belief, he asserts, belongs in the realm of religion. Coleman approaches the unexplainable with an open mind, gathering evidence before forming conclusions about larger theories. The building has two entrances—if one door is closed, try the other side of the building. Additionally, there is a smaller, associated cryptozoology museum up the road in Bangor.
Loren Coleman, who began pursuing unusual and often inexplicable animals in 1960, has become one of the world’s foremost experts in cryptozoology, which he defines as the study of hidden or unknown animals, such as Yetis, Bigfoot, Lake Monsters, and Sea Serpents, as well as recently discovered animals like the coelacanth, okapi, megamouth shark, giant panda, and mountain gorilla. Coleman has amassed an unrivaled collection of specimens, replicas, and artifacts related to famous and lesser-known cryptids, including the eight-and-a-half-foot tall, 300-pound "Crookston Bigfoot," a life-size coelacanth, a replica of P. T. Barnum’s Feejee Mermaid, cryptid hair samples, fecal material, photographs, and footprint casts. His International Cryptozoology Museum presents this collection to the public in a fun and educational manner, acknowledging cryptozoology as a "gateway science" capable of sparking interest in more widely accepted disciplines like biology and anthropology.
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