25 People Who Accidentally Found Their Doppelgangers at the Museum

"Gee... That Guy Looks Oddly Familiar!"

By
Beverly Jenkins
Beverly Jenkins
Beverly Jenkins is a humor and pop culture writer. She has published three web humor books and six calendars, including You Had One Job! and Photobombed.
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Updated on 12/30/17

When traveling to distant cities, one of the best ways to squeeze in some culture is to take a trip to the local art museum. At museums, you can really get a sense of history, not to mention gaining an appreciation for how far we've come as a society. It's always interesting to see artwork depicting the everyday lives of our ancestors, and one thing that always stands out is how little people have really changed over the centuries. Aside from changing fashions trends and standards, people still just look like, well, people.

Perhaps that's why every once in awhile, somebody stumbles across a portrait in an art gallery that seems more than a little bit familiar. In fact, sometimes people find their absolute twin, or doppelganger, hanging on the wall of a museum. These portraits were painted sometimes hundreds of years prior to our current existence, yet there they are, looking just like us! Is that some freaky Twilight Zone stuff, or perhaps just an example of the fact that we're all pretty much related as members of the human race. Something-something-genetics? DNA? Don't ask us — we're writers, not scientists — but it's still pretty darn cool when it happens.

01
of 25

My Handsome Ancient Relative Was a Crusader

Via Imgur

Looks like this guy's good looks have been passed down through the generations for centuries!

02
of 25

Am I Seeing Double?

Via Imgur

Either I've had one too many martoonis at the museum restaurant, or this is one freaky coincidence.

03
of 25

"Don't Ask Me; I'm Just a Caveman."

Via Facebook

That awkward moment when you realize your twin is a knuckle-dragging cave-dweller...

04
of 25

Whatcha' Thinking About?

Via Imgur

 Nothin'. Just art stuff.

05
of 25

It's All in the Hair

Via Imgur

He's sporting what hairstylists refer to as "Flowing Renaissance Locks." (Or, if they don't refer to it thus, they should.)

06
of 25

Same Hair. Same Outfit. Same Dour Expression.

Via Imgur

Did someone invent a secret cloning machine somewhere in history? That's really the only rational explanation here.

07
of 25

All Babies Kind of Look Alike, but Still

Via Twitter

You're never too young to find your doppelganger at the museum.

08
of 25

That Impertinent Tilt of the Chin!

Via Twitter

This modern guy looks just as jaunty as his long-lost ancestor. Some bloodlines are stronger than others!

09
of 25

His Future Was So Bright, He Had to Wear Shades

Via Imgur

Modern art has never looked this cool. Just add aviators!

10
of 25

The Resemblance Is Uncanny

Via Reddit

Darn it, he totally forgot to wear his fancy red tights to the museum so he could match his twin! Oh well — there's always next time.

11
of 25

This Is What's Called a 'Two-Fer'

Via Tumblr

Two friends went to a modern art museum, when suddenly, this happened.

12
of 25

Damn, Son

Via Reddit

Carl had always had a sneaking suspicion that he had been a samurai warrior in a past life. That feeling was confirmed when he paid a visit to the art museum one day.... 

13
of 25

Dying to Fit In

Via Instagram

Okay, this one isn't quite as remarkable as all of the others, but it's still cool. What are the chances that she'd choose that exact shade of Manic Panic? Pretty slim, we'd say.

14
of 25

A Profile of Courage

Via Twitter

Watch as Kyle imitates the ancient mug shot of one of his ancestors without even knowing that's what he's doing.

15
of 25

Brother From Another Mother

Via Imgur

What a strange coincidence that this guy showed up dressed just like the dude in the painting! (Something tells us this picture was a bit staged, but that doesn't make the resemblance any less cool.)

16
of 25

Lord of the Manor

Via Imgur

"Okay, now that we've established that we're distantly related... where do I collect my inheritance? Surely there's a chateau somewhere in France that I'm due to inherit?" 

17
of 25

Rocking That "Jane Eyre" Look

Via Imgur

Brown hair, check. Soulful eyes, check. Eyebrows on fleek? Double check! That's it, you're totes related!

18
of 25

Turn That Frown Upside Down

Via Instagram

Just because your giant painting is sad doesn't mean you have to be. Just think, you get to leave the museum whenever you feel like it!

19
of 25

Meet My Side-Eying Cousin

Via Imgur

"I guess I just have one of those faces."

20
of 25

Hello, Me From Another Century!

Via Twitter

Again, to whom do we speak about collecting that inheritance?

21
of 25

Big Hair, Don't Care

Via Reddit

All that's missing is the poofy velvet sleeves.

22
of 25

In Cahoots With His Past Self

Via Twitter

The guy in the painting looks like he's got a secret that only the guy in the foreground knows. They're definitely up to something!

23
of 25

Whatever You Do, Do NOT Turn Around

Via Imgur

He's just standing there, looking exactly like his long-lost twin. Did anybody bother to tell him that he happens to look just like the painting behind him, or did they just snap this picture and upload it to the internet? The world may never know.

24
of 25

Even Weird Al Has a Doppelganger.

Via Imgur

Although there's definitely no one on this earth who is just like Weird Al Yankovic, apparently that wasn't always the case. Was this guy anywhere near as weird as his modern descendant? Maybe. We'll give him weird... but there's no way he was as cool as our Al.

25
of 25

And Finally... One More Celebrity Look-Alike

Via Izismile

The Redcoats are coming, the Redcoats are coming!"

Wait, is that Paul Revere... or Jack Black?

The people of the internet have long joked that certain celebrities, most notably Keanu Reeves and Nicolas Cage, are immortal. How else would you explain the antique paintings that look just like the celebrity faces we know so well?

Well, this painting of Paul Revere looking exactly like actor-comedian Jack Black might lend some credence to that whole "they're immortal" theory! This is just plain weird. Is Jack distantly related to Paul, or what? 

There you have it: 25 people who look shockingly like someone who lives in another place and time. Either there are time travelers walking among us everyday, or we have to go back to that whole "everybody has a doppelganger somewhere" theory. We're going with time travel, just 'cuz.

Hilarious Museum Face Swaps That Are True Works of Art

Face swaps are always funny... but these are downright brilliant!