The Bunny Museum
The Bunny Museum was a world-record-holding private museum in Altadena, California, dedicated entirely to rabbits and rabbit-themed objects. Founded in 1998 by Candace Frazee and Steve Lubanski in their Pasadena home, the collection grew to more than 40,550 items displayed across 16 galleries in a 7,000-square-foot space. The building and its contents were destroyed by the Eaton Fire in January 2025, though the founders announced plans to rebuild.
At a glance
- Type
- Specialty private museum
- Period
- Founded 1998; relocated to Altadena 2017; destroyed by fire January 2025
- Style
- Popular culture / folk art collection
- Location
- 2605 Lake Avenue, Altadena, California 91001 (formerly Pasadena)
- Coordinates
- 34.1904° N, 118.1338° W
Overview
The Bunny Museum held the Guinness World Record for “Largest Collection of Rabbit Related Items” continuously from 1999, when it housed 8,473 pieces, until its destruction. The collection spanned ceramics, stuffed animals, antique figurines, cookie-jar rabbits, nine Rose Parade float rabbits, and even freeze-dried rabbits. The museum’s slogan — “The Hoppiest Place in the World” — reflected its playful identity as one of California’s most singular roadside attractions.
History
The collection began as a personal tradition: co-founders Candace Frazee and Steve Lubanski started exchanging rabbit-themed gifts with each other every day after they met, and the accumulation quickly outgrew a private home. The museum opened to the public in 1998 and relocated in 2017 from its original Pasadena address to a larger 7,000-square-foot building on Lake Avenue in Altadena. In January 2025, the Eaton Fire swept through the Altadena area and destroyed the building and its entire collection; the three live resident rabbits were evacuated safely.
What you see
Before the 2025 fire, visitors walked through 16 thematic galleries displaying more than 40,550 rabbit-related objects ranging from Roman brooches and Egyptian amulets to mass-produced cookie jars and contemporary artworks. Highlights included nine rabbits rescued from Rose Parade floats, freeze-dried specimens, and a rotating cast of three live rabbits. The breadth of the collection — spanning centuries of human fascination with rabbits across many cultures — gave the museum an unexpected depth alongside its whimsy.
Cultural significance
As both a Guinness record holder and a beloved community institution for over two decades, The Bunny Museum represented a distinctly American tradition of passionate private collecting elevated to public experience. Its destruction in the 2025 Eaton Fire became a widely covered cultural loss, and the subsequent crowdfunding campaign drew international attention to the founders’ commitment to rebuilding.
Practical information
The museum was destroyed by fire in January 2025 and is currently closed. The founders have announced plans to rebuild. Check the museum’s official website or social media channels for updates on reopening.
Getting there
The former museum was located at 2605 Lake Avenue in Altadena, California, accessible by car from the 210 Freeway (exit Lake Avenue northbound). Public transit options include Metro Bus routes connecting Pasadena and Altadena. Check local transit authorities for current route information.
Sources & resources
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