Only L.A. Can Make Death into an Attraction
There are some things that can only be found in Los Angeles, and the Museum of Death is definitely one of them. The museum is not for the faint of heart as it boasts torture devices, a collection of art by serial killers and a movie room showcasing a feature infinitely scarier than any horror film.
Morbid to some, but fascinating to others, the Museum of Death has an extensive collection.
Visitors are greeted with a defunct electric chair on one side and prison gates serving as the entrance to the self-guided exhibit. The whole exhibition takes about 45 minutes to experience. However, visitors are welcome as long as they like. The museum has one of the largest collections of serial killer paraphernalia ranging from art (from the likes of John Wayne Gacy) to various “unique” collectibles. The walls of the building are covered with macabre images of death from the depths of history. The museum is also home to a few oddities including the live Siamese turtle.
The owners, James Healy and Cathee Shultz originally opened the museum in San Diego. The owners realized the lack of death education and decided to make death their work. The museum soon ditched the S.D. setting for Hollywood. It continued to expand upon its arrival including the Heaven’s Gate recruiting video, autopsy videos, as well as, photos from the infamous Black Dahlia murder.
The Museum's films and treasures are not for the faint of heart.
The most shocking part of the museum is Traces of Death. Traces of Death is real footage of actual deaths. There is nothing the film industry could product that will disturb you as much as the “documentary” will.
While the tour itself only last 45-minutes, visitors can chose to stay as long as they please as the movies in the theater play for hours. Next door to the museum is the Chaos Gallery. The gallery features provocative work from local, as well as, international artist.
Death is big part of life. It is the inevitable end. The museum doesn’t glorify or celebrate death, but instead tries to give visitors a better understanding of a topic many of us would rather not ponder.
It may sound unsavory or morbid, but the passionate staff, who are more than happy to chat, make this trip through death a very enjoyable one. The content in the museum is recommended for a mature audience. If you can stomach this much death then a visit to the museum of death will be an enlightening experience. – Pablo Saldana
