The true crime genre is now so popular it should have a museum dedicated to it… Oh wait, it does! Here are 10 real-life true crime museums that cater specifically to the macabre.
Over the past decade, true crime consumption has reached new heights. There are series, books, documentaries, podcasts, and more all dedicated to the genre. Yet if all of that still doesn’t fill your true crime quota, did you know there are also museums?
There are special places where you can view the evidence, examine the clues, and get up close and personal with the crimes and sometimes even the criminals. If your interest has been piqued, allow us to take you on a little tour of the top 10 true crime museums and where you can visit them to get the full experience for yourself.
Crimes and Passion Interactive- Los Angeles, CA
It’s all fun and games until someone gets murdered. The Crimes of Passion Interactive in Los Angeles California shows exactly what happens when love takes a dark turn. Loaded with games, clues and interactive exhibits, the Crimes of Passion musuem won’t have you taking a passive tour but gets you actively involved in the crimes.
You and a partner are given true crimes, cases and clues and asked to delve into the depths of human connection and betrayal. Yes, the line between love and hate is very thin friends, and this true crime museum will show you just how thin. How well do you trust your special someone? Head on over to the Crimes of Passion Interactive in LA to find out.
Jack The Ripper Museum – London, UK
The Jack the Ripper Museum is a six-floor building in an old Victorian home, dedicated solely to the life and times of Jack the Ripper, noteably the world’s first known serial killer.
Jack the Ripper terrorized England in 1888, strangling and stabbing his victims in the night. The museum takes you step by step through The Ripper’s crimes, introducing you to his victims and through the area of east end London in 1888. It provides you with all the clues law enforcement or “Scotland Yard” was privy to at the time and queries if perhaps you will be the one to finally solve the crime. That’s right, Jack the Ripper, is simply a title, the true killer is still unknown.
Will you be the finally put a face to the name, Jack the Ripper? Head over to the Jack The Ripper Museum in London, England to find out!
Alcatraz East Crime Museum – Pigeon Forge, TN
Ted Bundy’s actual Volkswagen Beetle, OJ Simpson’s Ford Bronco, and even the former electric chair known as “Old Smoky” are all housed in one place–The Alcatraz East Crime Museum in Pigeon Forge, Tennesee. The museum is host to an entire array of true crime artifacts sure to equal parts enthrall and horrify.
It includes a re-creation of an actual Alcatraz cell and of course, has tons of insider information and facts about one of America’s most notorious prisons. It explores the crimes of some of the most infamous inmates and dives into just what it took to land yourself in this famous prison. So much true crime, and so little time, you better start planning your trip ASAP if you want to see it all!
The True Crime Museum – Hastings, UK
“Serial killers, gangsters, prisoners, and poison,” The True Crime Museum in Hastings, UK claims to have it all! Exhibits feature some of the most notorious and prolific serial killers of our time including Jack the Ripper and the Night Stalker. They even have authentic love letters Richard Ramirez wrote from prison on display and a “cave” where killers’ actual confessions are played in surround sound.
The museum features a renowned Hall of Shame and has its very own lethal injection chamber. Spooky. It also features some incredible forensic cases and information and has a “forensic fingerprinting game.” For all things dark and twisted, this museum is the place to be.
Museum of Death – New Orleans, LA
New Orleans has a rich history, the food the culture, and the murders. Yes, New Orleans history isn’t all Mardi Gras beads and bachelor parties, there is a seedy underbelly of dark dealings the city is known for. The one place that collects all that true crime fact and fiction, is the Museum of Death.
The Museum of Death is home to exclusive Manson family photos, crime scenes, and even morgue photos and paraphernalia. Coffins, body bags, mummification, and more are explored as one wanders through the death-decorated halls of the museum. If it deals with death and decay, this cozy building nestled in the French Quarter is sure to house it. See for yourself–if you dare.
The Gangster Museum of America – Hot Springs, AK
You may not think of Hot Springs, Arkansas as a happening place for mob activity, but you would be wrong. In fact Hot Springs was home to the largest illegal gambling racket in the 20s all the way up to the 70’s. Many of the heavy hitters of crime frequented the area in the 20s, 30s and 40s and left their mark on the otherwise quiet town.
The Gangster Museum of America houses some of the most notorious gangsters’ artifacts, stories and histories. Take a tour of the seven-room museum as each one tells its own story. There is a room solely dedicated to the legend himself, Al Capone who even owned a floor of a hotel in the area. See how this outwardly unassuming town hid its seedy underbelly for so long.
Medieval Crime and Justice Museum – Rothenberg, Germany
There is a reason the term “medieval torture devices” is still used today, when it came to crime and punishment, medieval times were no joke. A museum in Rothenberg, Germany set out to explore that very concept, and the result will keep you up at night.
The museum houses actual torture devices from medieval times with full instructions on how and when they were used. We are talking witch trials, executions, and inquisitions galore. There are written records displayed of what went on in some of these secret and horrifying trials and rituals of punishment. The museum takes you on a journey into the past and through your nightmares to see what some of our ancestors might have actually lived (or died) through.
Mob Museum – Las Vegas, NV
New York isn’t the only place where the mob ran the show, Las Vegas, Nevada was another big crime scene with a lot of players. The Mob Museum located there introduces you to all of them. It houses many artifacts of the time and crimes of these madmen, including suits, vehicles, weapons, and forged documents.
There are recreations of the courtrooms, the bars, and even the distilleries. So grab your favorite pinstriped suit and head to Vegas for the Mob Museum of your dreams.
Villisca Axe Murder House – Villisca, IA
In 1912 in Villisca, Iowa an entire family plus their overnight guests were murdered in their beds by an unknown assailant. The home belonged to Josiah Moore and it still stands today, intact and ready for visitors.
In fact, Josiah Moore and his family may be gone, but they are certainly not forgotten. Nor have they been silenced as the home is a hot spot destination for paranormal seekers of all kinds. The home is reportedly rife with paranormal activity, many feel stemming from the home’s horrifying history.
The murderer of the family remains unknown, but perhaps you will be the key to unlocking the mystery. Visit the house to see for yourself.
Ford’s Theatre – Washington, DC
The Ford’s Theatre may house some of the most brilliant plays and productions of our time but it also holds a dark history. As you may recall, Abraham Lincoln lived his final moments in this building, and some people say, he never left.
The building has been preserved with a museum dedicated to the President, his time in office, and his untimely death. All the details of the crime are on display, including the criminal, his weapon of choice, and his capture and trial. Then take a tour of the theatre if you dare, as many say the haunting presence of those who have gone before may still linger.
While series, shows and podcasts may fill your true crime cup in many aspects, there is certainly something to be said for seeing a crime up close. Actual artifacts, letters, and locations all bring to life the dark past of some of the most notorious criminals and their sinister crimes. These 10 true crime museums will bring you one step closer to these chilling events and the people behind them.