The Untold Truth Of The Museum Of Death

There are a whole bunch of horrendous circumstances that you can avoid, but death isn't one of them. No matter what, your sheer existence on Earth is bound up with the fact that at some point, sooner or later, you're going to go kaput. Sorry.

Despite this unarguable fact, U.S. culture often tiptoes around death. It is avoided in polite conversation, discussed in euphemisms — I.E., "passing away" or "dearly departed" or "go kaput" — and most people go about their daily lives acting as if the Grim Reaper will never come. That's decidedly not the case at the Museum of Death, an intentionally grim and morbid fixture in both Hollywood and New Orleans that aims to shine a bright, glaring spotlight at all things dead and/or dying. Not surprisingly, the Museum of Death has become a rather controversial attraction. Certain aspects of the enterprise are questionable, but is there perhaps more depth to the proceedings than critics often admit? 

Now, don't get too paranoid. When you first pull up to the Museum of Death, you shouldn't expect to be shot with a poison arrow, dropped in a coffin, fed to zombies, or anything so hostile. All visitors, who can take an approximately 45-minute self-guided tour through the museum, should expect to come and go with a live, beating heart ... in their chest, of course. The exhibits, though, are a different story, according to Roadside America.

There is a seemingly endless assortment of disturbing stuff to peruse, starting with real severed body parts, and leading to an alleyway featuring a series of equally real photographs taken by a woman and her new boyfriend, posing naked with pieces of her dismembered ex. And you thought your last Tinder date was bad. In other rooms, an infant's casket is on display, as is artwork created by serial killers like John Wayne Gacy, and taxidermy animals such as Chihuahuas and a two-headed chicken. On the more famous side, there are exhibits specifically devoted to the JFK assassination, the Charles Manson murders, the Black Dahlia killing, and an exhibit that recreates the 1997 Heaven's Gate Cult Suicide, featuring an actual bunk bed from the house where it happened. These are, for the record, just a few examples of what the Museum of Death features.

J.D. Healy and Cathee Shultz are the married duo who masterminded the Museum of Death. They look conventional enough, at first glance, but as you'd probably assume, their preoccupation with morbid stuff isn't a new hobby. According to Vice, their collection began in the nineties as a simple art show. As they toured around, one piece that particularly drew the attention of audiences was noted for featuring the names of every person currently on death row in the United States: In response to this interest, the couple wrote to these same prisoners, and asked them to submit art and diary submissions.

From there, as reported by The Independent, the art show grew, eventually becoming a full museum's worth of macabre materials. Ready to take things to the next level, Shultz and Healy initially rooted down in a former mortuary in San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter. This mortuary, as it happens, had its own eerie history, including a former brothel upstairs and a grim suicide by a former employee. But the owners of the building weren't so eager to share these anecdotes, nor were they happy with all the press that the Museum of Death accumulated over time.

Even though the new Hollywood location doesn't have the same creepy backstory as the San Diego spot, it has proved to be a prime spot for the Museum of Death. Part of this is because the museum simply fits more cleanly into Hollywood's general sense of excess and exaggeration. Another part, most likely, is its close proximity to both the Walk of Fame and the Hollywood/Vine metro station, both of which bring in tons of visitors. Still another factor, to top it all off, is the uniqueness of one-story building itself. 

As the Culture Trip points out, the location was formerly the home of Producers Studio, and later, Westbeach Recorders, meaning that famous bands such as Pink Floyd recorded albums within the same rooms that now house caskets and murder instruments. The building itself was constructed with deadening agents inside the walls — including, according to Roadside America, literal sand — which creates deep, unsettling acoustic effects as you move from room to room, looking at violent clips or photos, hearing some of the graphic noises being emitted. It creates an unsettling effect, to say the least.

Well, you wouldn't be the first person to ask.

The stated goal of the museum is to spur more conversation around death, and thus foster a more open culture which, ideally, would examine harsh and/or unpleasant realities instead of shying away from them. This is, on the surface, an important goal, particularly in the United States. Examining death upfront, instead of glossing over it with metaphors and euphemisms, is definitely a healthier approach to the great unknown, as exhibited by Mexico's celebration of Día de Muertos, AKA the Day of the Dead. Known for its colorful skeletons and joyous parades, this ancient holiday celebration also makes a point to honor the deceased, as described by Medical Daily: Many families set up altars in remembrance of their lost loved ones, as well as cleaning their grave sites, and sharing drinks with fellow mourners in the cemetery. It's a highly positive, healthy, and honorable way to approach death, grief, and loss.

The Museum of Death is ... not that. While it allegedly comes from similar motivations, there's a big difference between honoring the deceased with smiling skeletons, or having passers-by pay money to look at gruesome murder photographs. That said, as National Geographic suggests, the Museum of Death is a direct response to the fact that U.S. culture considers death such a taboo subject, and the exhibits do depict tragically real events. So, judge for yourself, but it's definitely a complex topic. 

Though the Museum of Death is quite controversial, and there's nothing else that quite mirrors its general gruesomeness, the world is full of intriguing and/or bizarre museums ... some of which, yes, tackle the subject of death quite openly. For example, the National Museum of Funeral History in Houston, Texas, provides a fascinating look at the history of funerals, memorials, cremation, and so on. It gives visitors opportunities to learn about caskets, to demystify the process of how funerals are put together, and to learn about the services that have been offered for famous deceased individuals like popes and presidents. Interesting, no? Meanwhile, over in Amsterdam, you can find the Dutch Funeral Museum, established in 2007 at the De Nieuwe Ooster cemetery. Once you grab a coffee at the entrance's Roosenburgh cafe, you can peruse through four exhibition rooms examining the funeral traditions of different cultures and religions. Over in Austria, there is also the Funeral Museum at Vienna's Central Cemetery, which displays hundreds of deathly items that stretch back for centuries. 

So yes, these things are out there, and probably becoming more popular with every passing year. These days, it seems that death is a hot topic ... but really, hasn't it always been? 

If all these eerie descriptions have not deterred you from your decision to visit the Museum of Death, make sure you know exactly what you're getting into, because this kind of thing had different rules than your average museum.

For one, don't bring kids. Seriously. As LoveToKnow says, the exhibits in the museum are exceedingly graphic, if you haven't already gathered, so you'd also do well to avoid bringing any family members or friends who have weak stomachs, or are prone to fainting ... well, you know, unless they want the free t-shirt. Also, do note that cameras and photographs (yes, including your cell phone) are strictly prohibited from the building, so don't try to sneak something through. Honestly, though, would you really want to bring photos of these exhibits home, much less post them on Instagram? Didn't think so.