A Dark And Fascinating Museum In New Orleans Has Gripping Exhibits On Life, Death, And Culture

New Orleans may be the city of Mardi Gras, jambalaya, and jazz but it also has an undeniably dark allure to a certain kind of visitor. Aficionados of the creepy and macabre, already know that the Big Easy is one of the best spooky cities to visit on Halloween. Ghost and vampire tours roll through the streets of New Orleans every day, regaling visitors with the city's dark history.

Only a few places, however, truly confront the shocking reality of death. This is what the small but ambitious Museum of Death in New Orleans hopes to instill in visitors. While it began as a boundary-breaking, post-punk art project, the museum now claims to have the world's largest collection of serial killer artwork, funeral ephemera, and coroner's instruments, among other grisly items.

Be warned: This museum is not for the faint of heart. Many of the exhibition pieces are violent, graphic, and explicit. Visitors have fainted before, the museum cautions. Children are not recommended to visit. The museum has a strict policy of not allowing entry to children without their parents.

Still want to go? Then know that there are some rules and regulations when visiting the museum. Photography of any sort is not allowed. Mobile phone use is strictly prohibited, as are food, beverages, and tobacco, whether smoking, vaping or chewing. Weapons are also forbidden. The museum is small but popular and the high volume of traffic means large bags and backpacks must be stored before entering. 

Then, enter at your peril. Among the items on display are handwritten letters from Jeffrey Dahmer, a window into the mind of the serial killer who dismembered and murdered 17 men and boys. Then there's the suicide machine devised by Jack Kevorkian, the doctor who advocated for the assisted dying of terminally ill patients. A lock of blonde hair from Nicole Brown Simpson, whose murder along with Ronald Goldman's, was unsuccessfully prosecuted in the O.J. Simpson criminal trial, is also on display. There is plenty more inside too graphic to describe. Museum founder James Healy told ABC New Orleans that the goal was to open a frank discussion about end of life. "We take away the stigma of people being afraid of dying. I think in our culture we don't talk about death until it's too late," he said.

Exploring death certainly attracts visitors. Oaxaca's vibrant Day of the Dead is one of the biggest tourist draws in Mexico, for example. The Museum of Death in New Orleans is more a cabinet of curiosities than an examination of tradition and ritual. In addition to its library of serial killer memorabilia, the museum has a macabre selection of taxidermy pets and animal skeletons, loved far beyond the grave.

The Museum of Death New Orleans also has another branch in Los Angeles. The museum says none of the exhibits are repeated or replicated in any way. Each branch also tries to reflect the culture of the surrounding city. Located in the French Quarter, it is perhaps fitting that the New Orleans branch is less than a 15-minute walk from the city's voodoo museum, another dark history gem.  

You'll probably want to see the museum on an empty stomach and food may be the last thing on your mind after visiting. If you need a stiff drink afterward, however, the Old Absinthe House is around the corner on Bourbon Street, a legendary saloon known for its famous patrons, alive and dead. The ghost of New Orleans pirate Jean Lafitte is said to sip his favorite green liquor there. As, allegedly, does the spirit of Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau. If you have more questions after you visit the Museum of Death, perhaps these locals can help you find some answers.