Museums are one of the best places on Earth. They are a place to travel to find old relics, to understand the culture, and to find a better understanding of the past, in hopes that it can guide mankind to a better future. Whether it is a popular one like the Smithsonian or your local museum, they are important cornerstones of our way to get knowledge. There are also so many to choose from. There are some based on space exploration. There are some based on cultural history. Some have factions of human society all in one place. One that I want to delve into is the Alcatraz East Crime Museum in Tennessee.
The Alcatraz East Crime Museum is a hotspot for fans of true crime. Whatever you think it has in it that deals with crime, they most likely have it. They have galleries and sections of the museum that give the history of American crime, while also catering to infamous parts of the United States crime scene, such as the OJ Simpson trial and tragedies like 9/11 and the Boston City Marathon Bombing. There are also parts of crime history that people wouldn’t think they would have. They have both cars of Ted Bundy and OJ Simpson, as well as an electric chair that’s been dubbed “Old Sparky”. There are other parts of the museum like training to be a junior detective and more sinister parts of the crime community. The history of American crime is in that building for all of the world to see.
There has to be some level of morbid fascination that comes with crime. To know the history and understand the cultural impact is one thing, but to have a hub of it, that’s weird. Is it weird in a good way or a bad way, I don’t know. However, it stands the test of time. Memories of the past all in one place, permanently cementing itself as a cultural phenomenon.
Museums are so important as these places conserve a part of history that otherwise would have disappeared if not properly preserved. Museums regarding criminals and true crime cases can be controversial as there are opposing sides that defend or shame these true crime museums. On the supportive side, it’s argued that museums still preserve historical events that were quite significant in history and changed the course of how society operated. However, the opposing side defends their argument of the disrespect these museums may pose to the loved ones of these victims by highlighting a traumatizing experience that occurred and profiting off it. Overall though, museums are designed to display important relics in a way that interests people while also being informative.
Museums are one of my favorite places to visit and the art displayed in them is meant to fascinate and entertain us. This crime museum is no different aside from elevating crime to an art form, it makes official our society’s obsession with true crime. I’m inclined to say that I don’t think crime should be entertaining like this but a lot of the art in museums has been obtained through crime (British museum) and condemning the Alcatraz museum would be hypocritical.
Museums are meant to preserve history in a way that is entertaining to the public. It is interesting to see how many people are fascinated with crime, not in a way that they want to be criminals but in a way in which they are simply just interested in crime. Museums like this play an important role in history, and though it may be a weird thing to preserve the history of, if people are still interested in it then there absolutely should be places they can go to learn more about the history of crime.
I have actually been to Alcatraz myself and it was fascinating to say the least. It was cool to see how the island was set up and who lived there. Some of the prisoners are ones that most people would know but maybe not where they ended up going to prison. So, it gives us an idea of how they were punished.
Museums are incredible and the way you mentioned this one in specific was great! I enjoy museums in general since they encapsulate moments that left a landmark at some point in time and well crime also has done that. It is to think what people related to the case may think because well some may find these killers amusing and not just as a reminder of the evil that people hold within also. I would like to visit it one day and explore the place for myself.
Hi, great article! I have said this before but I think that crime being a national spectacle has no regard to the families of the victims or the victims themselves. But as you mentioned, history is useful, and in places like museums it has the freedom to educate others without being the entertainment for people to weigh in on their opinions.
I feel like museums are a great place to learn more about history. The fact that there are artifacts in the museums that are preserved for people to see is amazing. Seeing the artifacts in person, like Ted Bundy’s car, really helps people to see how the person actually lived and to conceptualize the fact that even serial killer’s lives were normal in some ways. I really liked how this article brought up the question of whether a fascination with crime, and having a hub for it, is weird.
Hello Love! I completely agree that museums are incredible places to visit, offering endless opportunities to learn and expand our knowledge about various subjects. The Alcatraz East Crime Museum sounds like an interesting and unique museum that offers visitors a glimpse into the history of crime in America. Although it may seem morbid to some, the museum provides a valuable insight into the impact that crime has had on American society and the cultural significance of infamous cases. Museums like this one play an important role in preserving and presenting history, allowing us to reflect on the past and potentially guide us towards a better future. I would love to visit the Alcatraz East Crime Museum someday and learn more about the fascinating history of American crime.