The National Museum of Crime & Punishment, opens its doors TODAY. The (bound to be “lighthearted”) museum explores the history of crime, law enforcement, forensic science, crime scene investigation (CSI) and the consequences of committing a crime. Co-owned and operated by Orlando businessman John Morgan in partnership with John Walsh, host of America’s Most Wanted, the National Museum of Crime & Punishment provides (according to the press release): guests of all ages with a memorable insight into the issues of crime and crime fighting through a captivating interactive, entertaining and educational experience.
Some of the (suggested) Highlights of the Crime Museum
* A Notorious History of American Crime - A sequence of themed galleries highlight the criminal heritage of America from the Colonial period to the present day. Galleries focus on major criminal masterminds of a particular era, highlight specific crime types comparing their casts of characters and portray the most infamous crimes solved and sometimes unsolved.
Notorious Criminals: Legendary pirates, the mob, Wild West outlaws, and serial killers.
* Punishment – The Consequence of Crime - This interactive experience focuses on the events of an arrest, booking, questioning, prosecution, and incarceration.
Authentic Artifacts: Auxiliary, electric chair, gas chamber, prison art, and jail cells.
* Crime Fighting - In this gallery visitors experience firsthand the skills needed to fight crime and capture the bad guy. The exhibit explores which branches of law enforcement become involved with a crime and the various roles they have.
FBI Agent Training: Practice your aim in a simulated FBI shooting range.
High Speed Police Simulator: Drive in a police academy training pursuit.
* Crime Solving – The Technology of Crime Fighting - Utilizing the fascinating art and science of modern-day crime solving, the museum is a living and evolving system for the continued development of investigation and crime solving techniques. Visitors will witness a simulated crime in progress and apply forensic science such as DNA testing, fingerprint and footprint analysis, and dental identification to solve the crime.
CSI Lab: Enter a crime scene and interact to solve the case in a real crime scene lab.
* America’s Most Wanted - The museum will serve as the public headquarters for John Walsh’s long-running America’s Most Wanted television show. Guests are transported behind the scenes and experience Mr. Walsh’s unique personal story and explore the significant impact the show has had on crime in this country. AMERICA FIGHTS BACK airs Saturdays (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT) on FOX.
AMW Studio: Location for live staging of AMW and other crime-fighting shows.
If all this sounds like a fun day for all the family and their escapist needs here are the details:
Address
575 7th Street, NW Washington, DC
Admission
Adults: $17.95 + tax
Seniors (60+), Military, Retired Military, Police, Retired Police
Children: $14.95 + tax
Children age 5 (??) and under (??!!) are free
Website
www.crimemuseum.org
Oh man!!! I love the history of criminal justice and penal institutions. Seriously, I know it sounds sarcastic but it’s not.
But a dedicated museum of organized crime would be better.
May 23, 2008 at 10:40 ammichael: i agree, but i think that’s just because we’re in DC, and spoiled. nowhere else are museums free to the extent they are here.
svetlana: i just finished reading the Post’s coverage of it. I’m pretty excited about it.
May 23, 2008 at 11:44 amthe weekend section of the post has an interesting breakdown of the 4 new(ish) Un-Free museums in dc, madame taussauds (sp?), the newseum, the spy museum, and this crime museum. it’s geared a bit more towards families, but gives good things to think about when trying to decide if spending the 15-20 is worth it.
May 23, 2008 at 11:59 amAmanda, that’s the second time in a week you have you know.
May 23, 2008 at 11:59 amMichael: Oh, my god - you’re right. I need to stop that.
May 23, 2008 at 1:38 pmwell you’re not off to a good start cuz you *just* did it again.
May 23, 2008 at 1:52 pmDAMNIT!
May 23, 2008 at 2:00 pmI can’t believe what an idiotic attitude that “Michael” has! He said: “Am I the only one who thinks that anything with “Museum” in the title should be free?” Is this guy for real? I guess he thinks that food and college and cars and homes and vacations should be free also. He obviously has no real interest in expanding his intellect, but I’m sure he would blow $100+ a night on booze without flinching.
May 24, 2008 at 10:50 amsam: you must be new to DC. Welcome.
and none of those things you mentioned relate to museums.
May 25, 2008 at 9:08 amWho is Michael? Oh, he’s the best ever and forevers!
May 25, 2008 at 10:10 amI doubt Micheal ever goes anywhere that requires him to pay for booze.
May 25, 2008 at 11:06 amMichael makes a lot of asinine comments on this site. What a turd.
May 25, 2008 at 12:34 pmPedro. Close.
Sam. What attitude? I asked a question. A good answer to my question would have been “Yes, you are.” Another good answer to my question would have been “Perhaps.” More are as follows: “I believe so.” “Probably.” “Without a doubt.” Someone could have even offered “No, you aren’t, because I feel the same.”
Going off on a tangent about thinking food and college and cars and other items should be free was pretty retarded, because those things historically have not been “free.” Do a little research project on museums. Can you tell me the first western Museum and how much it cost? I can tell you. Can you tell me the origin of the word museum? I can tell you.
Also, asking a question about opinions doesn’t mean I wouldn’t pay for a museum, it simply means exactly what it says “Am I the only one who thinks that anything with “Museum” in the title should be free?” It gives no indication that I would not pay for a museum, or that I haven’t. It says nothing about interest in expanding my intellect (which would be pretty hard to do considering I’m pretty much a genius).
It was just a question. Cheers.
May 25, 2008 at 12:34 pmThis made me laugh, a lot. If only all “anonymous” users would be this creative.
“agroupofhot18yearoldbisexualgirls Says:
Who is Michael? Oh, he’s the best ever and forevers!”
May 25, 2008 at 7:30 pmsam just got served and now it’s on.
usually when you get served, that means it’s on.
tits mcgee, you don’t want any.
but… um.. quit putting things in quotes that don’t “need” them, genius boy.
May 25, 2008 at 9:17 pm
Am I the only one who thinks that anything with “Museum” in the title should be free?
May 23, 2008 at 9:15 am