- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Museum Of Death
Rating Details »
Neighborhood: Hollywood
6031 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 466-8011
6031 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 466-8011
- Hours:
Mon-Sun. 12:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
- Good for Kids:
- No
29 reviews for Museum Of Death
Lots of disturbing stuff but what topped it for me was the Chaos Gallery next door featuring G.G. Allin.
I didn't eat supper that evening.
My sister and I decided to check this place out after I read an article in the LA Times. We went early on a Sunday, had no traffic problems and with parking in the back, it was very convenient.
The museum took about an hour to walk through. The funeral exhibit was very cool and I thought the serial killers and cannibalism exhibit was very interesting. The photos are very graphic and some disturbing. If you have a weak stomach, don't go in. I thought some of the exhibits could have been put together better. Some of the cases in the serial killers room didn't have alot of captions and I couldn't really understand what all the cases contained.
The man who worked behind the counter was very nice and showed us his two headed turtle. Way cool.
Overall, a great place to go and I would recommend it to anyone who likes to look death in the face.
I was a frequent of their old location and was sad that they closed, so you could imagine my excitement when I found out they re-opened in a larger location!
For $15 admission per person, this self-exploration museum leads you through an in-depth look at the process of embalming/funeral homes/mortuaries, suicides, cannibalism, death in different cultures, cults, serial killers, and much more!
Parking can easily be found behind their location.
Not for the faint of heart... or actually...
Little known factoid o' Jena:
As a child I grew up on a collection of macabre awesomeness-
Tales from the Crypt comic books
the Adams Family
the Munsters
a very eccentric dad who put Halloween above even Christmas growing up (that one stays true to this day... thanks daddy)
etcetera
etcetera
Thus, I've always had a fixation with the morbid. At times in my life I have considered going into the death business... a stable job for yours truly? Gasp.
*IF YOU HAVE A FAINT STOMACH I DO NOT RECOMMEND YOU GO HERE*
So just what's in here? Newspaper clippings, a severed head, mortuary tools, cult activity, and really explicit graphic pictures from autopsies and crime scenes. There's even a hannibal's menu & prayer and a giraffe skeleton.
Some of it is so friggin random that you just have to think.. how the heck does someone even think to get a hold of THAT piece?
If you want to learn a little bit about humanity... about savoring moments of life and seeing the brutality that exists within some... this is fascinating. In fact it is so fascinating that I may get one of the soon to be happening "dismembership" passes. I'd seriously consider getting it just for the friggin ability to say that I have possession of such a friggin rad named museum pass.
That, and it seems I have officially become the person that seems to frequent here. I have gone now twice within 2 months. I hope to take optimal victim 3 sometime in the near future if said person isn't "squeamish" to the idea.
I left the museum the first time and called my dad... the corporate banker guy.
"Dad I think I may go back to school after all.."
"Who are you and what have you done with my daughter?"
"Daddy..."
"For what? Where did you go?"
"Forensics photography. I went to a museum and they had..."
(My dad faints when he sees them taking his blood for a blood test. He has also been really against me pursuing anything to do with my art in lieu of a "steady normal" job)
"I think... you should continue with the art stuff...but, do whatever makes you happy"
"Ok who are YOU and what have you done with my dad?"
(My grandmother had recently had heart issues and well, maybe he was feeling a bit introspective)
"Just do whatever makes you happy. If its stable or if it's going to make you a lot of money in the end isn't important. Your brother wants to be a teacher. He's never going to make any money but as long as he's happy, I am too. Now go have fun now but behave ok? And I will pass on ever going to that place thank you very much."
------
Conversation with grandma later:
"and there were autopsy pictures and movie stars and taxidermy and..."
"Boo. Why didn't your dad let me visit you up there when we were in town? You could have taken me...."
(my grandmother is the raddest ever)
---------
As you walk around the museum you see so much about the atrocity that human beings are capable. You can sit in a room and watch about accidents and news shootings.. so much volatility.
But when you walk out, you are reminded just how much life is worthwhile. The owners are a married pair that have been collecting for over 15 years. One of their pets was stuffed and placed there.
Hell, you can even ask him to show you his live, 2 headed turtle.
It's something I truly believe everyone should go to in LA at least once... when they're ready... and some even when they're not. You may be shocked but it might not be for all the ways that you think.
I have driven past the museum of death many times and the only reason I never went in was because I had it confused with the Scientology museum just down the street called 'Psychiatry: An Industry of Death' . Well, after reading a few Yelp reviews I decided that I HAD to go....TODAY. Unfortunately, I know of no one who would have the guts to visit with me, so I went alone...which was just fine...it gave me plenty of time to peruse the macabre without worrying about someone else.
So, as most have said, this is not a place for everyone. The place is GRAPHIC, which I don't really mind at all. There are many different themed areas...funerary ephemera and morticians equipment, cult mass suicides, general suicides, serial killers, taxidermied animals, serial killer artwork (they have the largest collection in the world!) and more. There are a whole lot of very graphic photos that would probably make the faint of heart pass out...and they warn you about that before you enter.
Anyhow, the entire place was fascinating...I was especially intrigued by the Manson Family exhibit- they have unpublished crime scene photos, miscellaneous ephemera and a documentary on 'the Family' playing in a loop. I was also very impressed by the serial killer art collection (the demented part of me has always wanted to own a John Wayne Gacy painting), and Jane Mansfields taxidermied chihuahua, that died with her in the fatal car crash. Apparently, Anton LaVey (another slight obsession of mine), had the dogs taxidermied because he was the dogs 'godfather', responsible for them if anything ever happened to Jane. As a side note, Anton felt responsible for Jane's death, due to a botched 'spell' you can read about that in his biography 'The secret life of a Satanist'.
The couple that owns the place are extremely friendly and helpful- I was so intrigued by their expansive collection that I had to ask how they had acquired it all- the woman owner didn't hesitate to explain to me in detail how they had come to own each of the things I asked about. It's funny, I had a pre-conceived notion about what type of person would own such a place, and neither of the owners (who are a couple), came close to what I could have imagined...very lovely, down to earth people.
My only complaint about the museum is that they have SO many intriguing videos playing throughout the place, all of which I would have loved to sit and watch in their entirety, but, aside from the Manson room and the theater of death, there is nowhere to sit and comfortably watch the films. They have the 'heaven's gate' recruitment film playing on a loop but, unfortunately, it was inside the exhibit recreating the heavens gate death scene, behind glass. It was completely audible, but there was no way I could comfortably watch the entire film...and trust me, I tried!
I will DEFINITELY be back to the museum of death...probably sometime very soon! It's a great place, and I really wish there were more off-beat places like it around. If you are at all into the macabre, serial killers and the rest, you will LOVE this place...GO...RIGHT NOW!!!
first lemmie just say, "WHOA!" and "WOW!"
this is a goth chola's wet dream.
I left this place feeling amazed, sad, impressed, disgruntled, uncomfortable, dumbfounded, educated, miserable, paranoid, and most of all, satisfied. I can now die a happy? goth.
I have visited many cemeteries in my day but none will ever give me the satisfaction of a good history lesson. BELIEVE IT OR NOT!
Before I even ventured here, I checked other yelper reviews and was surprised that so many of them gave this place underrated stars. I do admit, though, it's not for just anybody.
I CAME HERE KNOWING WHAT I WAS IN FOR. Even the friendly owner warned us.
What a morbid and intense collection they had here! WHOA! Half the time I wondered if this was even legal to own some of the stuff.
But anyway, I'll tell you all about the GOOD (or bad, depending on how you look at it) STUFF:
OLD COFFINS. maybe from the late 19th century.
EMBALMING UTENSILS from early 20th century.
A WALL DEDICATED TO THE MARKETING PLOYS OF THE OLD FUNERAL HOMES such as matchbooks and fans.
A TAXIDERMY ROOM filled with animals and "weird creatures"
A HALLWAY FILLED WITH PICTURES OF AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENTS FROM THE 1920's -60's. - very grotesque!
A ROOM DEDICATED TO SUICIDES - Rozz Wiliiams cabinet door he hung himself with. oh, and DONT DRINK THE KOOL-AID! AHAHA!
A ROOM FILLED WITH MURDEROUS/SUICIDAL CULTS - Heaven's Gate and The Manson Family included. crazy artifacts! crime scene and autopsy photos of the TATE MURDERS.
AUTOPSY PHOTOS OF THE BLACK DAHLIA NEVER BEFORE SEEN - not the photos from Hollywood Babylon II either! these are waaay more in detail.
CANNIBAL ROOM - yes, it includes Jeffrey Dahmer and Ed Gein.
and last but certainly not least, THE SERIAL KILLER ROOM. This is astounding. You can read REAL letters and see REAL art work from the likes of Richard Ramirez and John Wayne Gacy. There's an actual portrait that Gacy painted himself dressed up as a clown (his alter ego).
*********I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT THE INTENT OF THIS MUSEUM IS NOT TO SHOCK YOU FOR THE CHEAP SAKE OF ENTERTAINMENT, BUT TO EDUCATE YOU TO SOME DEGREE.********************* They certainly don't teach you this stuff in school. Death and mortality is still a very taboo and sensitive subject in our society.
I paid my $15 and i got my money's worth. The end.
Wow. Just wow. We were wandering down Hollywood on our way to a Thai place down the street, and this unusual spot caught my eye. On the outside, it doesn't look like much. There are several signs around the building that say "Museum of Death." Entrance is $15, and it is NOT for the faint of heart. The aim of the museum's founders, married couple J.D. Healy and Cathee Shultz, is that visitors to the museum leave grateful to be alive. And after a bit of time inside the museum, you really do feel good to be alive... and wonder what is WRONG with all the psycho-serial-killers!
You start off wandering about a few caskets. There is a video demonstrating how to prep a body to be presented. It's pretty graphic. They show a body being pumped full of chemicals. The tools for embalming are also on display. In the same room, there is a wall full of matchbooks, as well as fans advertising cemeteries and funeral homes.
If you're into serial killers and psychopaths, this is one museum to check out. They've got the head of French serial killer, Henri Landru, aka "Blue Beard" on display. You'll have to ask them for the story on how they got that one! There's also entire sections on the Black Dahlia, Charles Manson and Ted Bundy, videos and photos included. This is where it gets gruesome... The part that really got me was the hallway of photos where a woman and her boyfriend murder her husband and take photos with the dead body parts! AHHH!
Other topics covered include: cults [a display on Heaven's Gate with items collected from the event, among others] and cannibals. It gets pretty gruesome, and I'll have to admit that in some parts of the museum, I'd feel a little faint. Once I remembered to breathe, I was okay.
Definitely worth checking out if you're into the odd and unusual collection of information! We weren't in a rush to get anywhere and probably spent over an hour in there... There's a Theater of Death, streaming videos of violence and death and all that if you've got more time. A lot of stuff to see, and they are more than happy to answer questions if you have them!
#29 in http://365losangeles.b...
Welcome to the jungle. You're gonna DIIIEEE!!!!
As Axl so eloquently put it, you're gonna die. I'm gonna die. We're all gonna die. I hope you don't die before checking out the Museum of Death, though; there is no better way to make you feel alive than a brush with death.
Now here's the test. I'm gonna throw out a few words and I want you to analyze your response:
Dismembered bodies. Embalming. Human cannibalism. Serial Killers.
If your reaction to these words are "Ewww. Nasty.", then do yourself a favor and stay away from this stretch of Hollywood. However, if your response is "Oooh!" or "Hmmmm", then DON'T READ ANY MORE REVIEWS ON THIS PLACE, DON'T LOOK AT THE PICTURES, just get off your butt and GO SEE IT FOR YOURSELF!
Why, you ask? Because this type of museum is much better experienced with a blank slate. Reading the reviews and looking at the pics takes out all the element of surprise. Take for example, the two-headed ________ they have on display here. Well, half of the reviews on this page already talk about the two headed ___________, so it really wasn't a surprise when I saw it. Ho-hum. If I hadn't read about it beforehand (Don't peek!), my reaction would have been something more along the lines of "Eeegads!".
Same with the messed up drawings done by ____________, the graphic video of ________ and the infamous outfit worn by __________. See? Now I've got you salivating. So stop reading now and take yourself to this crazy museum.
The details: It's $15, credit cards accepted, and open until 8. Parking is free, the place is not very busy, and you can easily spend over an hour here. The owners are also quite friendly and have two adorable dogs that roam the museum.
*See pics* (but only if you've been there yourself!)
As a huge horror fan I do not scare easily but I will admit this museum did have me a little unsettled. When I first entered I was greeted by a man who had a slight resemblance to Ed Gein. I tried to talk with him for a few minutes but he wasn't much of a conversationalist which made the vibe that much creepier. All I got out of him was the content of the the museum is very graphic the price is $15 and feel free to let him know if I have any questions. After paying my admission I took a deep breath and opened the prison door to the exhibits... Where I came face to face with the two sweetest dogs a guy could ever meet!
The first room was dedicated to funerals and autopsy. I don't want to give too much away but the old morticians tools are something to be seen. Then it was off to the hallway of car accidents where I left the safety of the dogs. There were so many photos that remind me how lucky I was.
There were about half a dozen main exhibits and a few smaller ones. But to me the most interesting things had to be the wall dedicated to Black Dahlia, the Heaven's Gate recreation and the taxidermy room with animal oddities. I was surprised to notice that some of the shocking material I had already seen before.
When I was leaving the man behind the desk seemed to loosen up a little. He asked me what I thought. And I told him the creepiest think I saw. (Not going to give anything away.) We talked about his collection for a bit and then I said my goodbyes to him and the dogs. If you are a fan of the macabre this place has a lot of things you must see. If you are not but are a little curious its really not that scary. But I wouldn't recommend going alone like I did.
Upon entering, I was shocked at the 15 dollar entrance fee. But, I was there with a group of friends, so I just payed it. The museum had some "okay" displays, it would low-budget compared to "The Museum of Tolerance" or the "Natural History Museum."
The collections of suicide notes, newspaper clippings, artifacts, and murder scene photos were interesting.
I was a bit weary that me and my group would become apart of the museum, if our trip went down like a slasher horror film where the owners trap us in a room and hack us or torture us to death. But, that was not the case. The owners are very kind.
The display of the "Black Dahlia" and Charles Manson were very raw, graphic, but nonetheless I was awed and disgusted at the same time by the displays.
If you're into this sort of stuff, I definitely recommend it. But, if you're broke and trying not to spend 15 bucks at a museum, then you should pass.
Obviously, not for everyone. But if you have a dark little heart, you'll dig it.
There's something wonderfully surreal about walking past a guillotine as an embalming video playing on a loop while a friendly couple waves you inside like happy suburban B&B owners. And their dogs are wonderful -- UNLESS you're alone in a room, reading about some serial killer or other, and you suddenly hear "PANT PANT PANT PANT" behind you. In the two seconds it takes you to turn your head and realize, oh, puppy, you will suffer many, many minor heart attacks.
Yes, the museum could use a little more curatorial input (some of the placards on the wall are either missing bits or are grammatical nightmares, and some exhibits could use more info altogether, but picky, picky). The museum has a handmade feel to it, which is somehow charming, as if Andy Rooney and Judy Garland decided, golly gee, let's put on a show in the old red barn, except the show was mummified heads, dismembered bodies and crime scene photos.
Expect to put in some time -- if you're not willing to read, you'll wonder what the fuss is about. Pet the two-headed turtle and the dogs, and leave with, maybe, a new attitude about the big scary end -- that maybe it's possible to face it head on with a sense of humor and knowing that, however you go, it isn't likely to be anything close to the unlucky fates of many of the unlucky bastards you'll see and read about here.
Ladies and gentlemen, please direct your attention to the address of this museum. It is on Hollywood Blvd. between Bronson and Gower, on the north side of the street.
This place is amazing. But also be warned: it is NOT for the weak of heart or stomach. There are photos of just about every grisly, gory thing you can think of and many you can not. However, if you have an interest in death, serial killers, true crime, mortuary services, and all things macabre, then this place is for you!
$15 is well worth the good hour you could spend in there, longer if you want to really sit and watch all the videos and THEN go to the gallery next door. I must say I was fascinated and yes, a little disgusted by the things I saw, but like any good car wreck, you can't look away. :)
Some of the serial killer letters are disturbing, but also hilarious. But that might be because I have a rather macabre sense of humor. It's just the way I am. :)
Again this place isn't for everyone, but it's great for the rest of us!
Go check it out!
great place definitely can spend all day there
different themes in each room ranging from various
cultural funeral customs to taxidermy
has a very rare collection of artifacts definitely a place to
visit at least once if you are in the area
staff is great and very friendly
this is why i came to los angeles stuff like this
viva m.o.d.
Of all the many poor unfortunates in the Museum of Death, the poorest and most unfortunate of all, I think, is the (live) dog who calls the museum home, and who must thereby have a particularly warped view of humanity.
(If I were that dog, I would be totally wigged out by the "non-typical taxidermy" room in particular, and would probably be on my best behavior at all times as a consequence.)
I was driving by with a friend, en route to meet another friend for afternoon plans when we saw the sign on Hollywood Blvd. And the two of us, with our morbid sensibilities, found ourselves utterly powerless to resist the gruesome allure of the Museum of Death, our third friend, for the time, forgotten.
We were not disappointed. (?) We did step lively through some exhibits, and neither one of us complained to the management that the "Theatre of Death," where we were invited to stay as long as we liked, was showing a blank blue screen (of death?) when we walked by.
Particular highlights (?) were the room of antique funerary and embalming equipment, and the room full of serial killer art, which led to a lively discussion about whether the garish and too-happy paintings would be as creepy if we did not know that they were painted by imprisoned killers.
An awful lot of the museum feels like they just printed out pictures from http://rotten.com or the equivalent, and, even allowing for morbid curiosity, that stuff just doesn't hold much interest for me. Without some more context, it's just basically voyeurism. What I'm saying is, the Museum of Death could be better curated.
The guy who ran the place seemed very friendly and surprisingly well-adjusted, given his chosen line of work, but shoot, we only talked for a minute.
During our walk through the exhibits, my friend and I discussed how we would not want to be the one alone at the counter at the Museum of Death at night, but then decided that being alone-at-the-counter might be preferable to being alone in the building with Museum of Death customers.
The most incongruous thing about the visit was that at the end, the proprietor showed us two (living!) turtles, one siamese (two heads, one shell) and one albino.
It was still hard to shake the uncanny feeling we had through most of the Museum: we felt as though we had walked into a particularly gory episode of Tales from the Crypt, where we, the hapless visitors to the Museum of Death would reach the final exhibit -- only to find that we ARE the final exhibit!
As I recall, the proprietor bragged as he showed us his turtle-freaks (with all the enthusiasm of a kindergartner on show-and-tell day) that he had raised some of the animals now residing in the non-typical taxidermy room. Despite the fact that we had just escaped our EC Comics-style fate, this news did not lighten our moods as much as he seemed to expect it would.
4.5
If you are the type to be afraid of the dark, passed out dissecting a sheep's eye in high school, or need an arm to squeeze during episodes of Forensics Files or movies like "Silence of the Lambs", you might want to pass on this place. I have a fairly strong stomach for stuff like that, but after finishing my visit here, I was so thankful Cathee, the very friendly co-owner of the museum along with J.D., showed me the living and seemingly happy Siamese turtles and the albino turtle as a little pick me up at the end. It's also nice to see the couple's pair of dogs walk into a room as you explore, something sweet to offset all that death.
It's just that reading about cops returning a bleeding naked victim to Jefferey Dahmer to be killed, assuming they were "just having a lover's quarrel", seeing a photo of members of El Salvador's death squad remove the flesh from a dead man's head, and watching video of a homeless man cut in half by a subway train and kept alive with the train acting as a tourniquet, well, let's just say it can be a little disheartening. Still, it's life. Humans can be incredibly ugly to one another and life can be cruel-why be in the dark about death, when it is a very intrinsic part of life? There are less overwhelming exhibits too-about cults who commit mass suicide, taxidermy animals, and funerary customs.
The museum is new and a little low-budget in ways, but it's incredibly unique, very detail oriented and quite well done. It's a little esoteric in some ways-a lot of the deaths covered are local to LA-the Manson murders, OJ Simpson, the Black Dahlia, James Dean, the Night Stalker, etc. and they could do more to cover naturally-caused deaths or the science element, but things like the collection of promotional items made by funeral homes (Does anyone really want a ruler from the Grim Funeral Home? Maybe not...) and photos of African headhunters and cannibals were quite interesting.
They have a free lot in back, which you can enter to the right of the building, they are open from noon to 9pm and admission is $15. This is definitely a spot to check out. Not after lunch or dinner though. Unless like some of the weirdos highlighted here you find human flesh appetizing, of course!
We went an hour before closing and we felt that we had ample time to look at everything. It was pretty empty when we went--there was another couple there. The dogs were so cute! Especially the black one :).
Pretty cool place. After I left, I was feeling a bit dizzy.. but it was super interesting! The museum is pretty small but is packed with objects to examine. There was also quite a bit of reading as the labels were half a page to a page long.
I shall be back.
I left this place queasy and I'm never going back. And that's a compliment. The couple who run it are both very nice, and explained to me up front that some people find the museum a little intense. I guess I was one of them. From photos of the Black Dahlia murder I've never seen, to handwritten letters by serial killer Richard Ramirez, prepare yourself for a real trip into the dark human psyche.
One day my buddy called me up and asked me to go down here with him. We spent a couple of hours perusing it and had a good time. Compared to Hollywood standards the Museum of Death isn't great. But I still recommend it if you are interested in being in the real life version of http://ogrish.com. I'll probably never go back, but it was fun once. Don't miss the two headed turtle!
I love museums off the beaten path...and this is one of them. No, really? Yup.
I was just going to write a review stating: SEE FOR YOURSELF.
But, after seeing that this place doesn't have many reviews, I figured I would elaborate a little.
Where should we start?
#1. Go through it SLOWLY, or don't bother because the details are what really make this place. It's a small, small museum so do not compare it to a mainstream museum when it comes to price=how much you see.
It's about quality, not quantity here. $15/person. It took us over 2 hours to go through it but if you walk at a regular pace you will probably hit the end in less than 5 minutes.
#2. This museum is intimate and run by husband & wife and their two adorable dogs: Shadow & we'll call the other one Buddy. They're collectors (and animal lovers) and will personally answer all your questions with great detail.
#3. No pictures allowed.
My favorite parts:
--mummified head in glass case (you can see the eyelashes and 5 o'clock shadow)
--The serial killer room. Gomez Adams (I had to make at least one stupid joke) writes to them personally & they write back....you can read their letters & see their artwork. Check out what the killers draw & write about other serial killers (small, deep detail that is easy to miss).
--stuffed animals room (love those little guys in the jars)
--skull skinning photos (easy to miss also....look up in the last hallway)
-- & shrunken heads....really freakin' cool...ask how they make them or look it up b4 you go
Well, I don't think this is giving too much away...it's all about the details, baby.
Live & Die well.
I went here with my best friend Tilly. Tilly had been looking for someone with a warped sense of humor and a fascination with all things that would make Wes Craven blush. You wouldn't think to size up a girl wearing a hot pink Juicy Couture bag and silver heels to love this place but I do.
The fare when we went in February was $15 a person. Tilly and I got in for $13 for being musicians and writers. Hint. The guy and girl at the front desk were lively, friendly, and relatable despite the morbid surroundings - red curtains, human skulls, vivid photographs of serial killer victims, etc.. and lo-and-behold, the music playing over our heads was Tim Armstrong's "A Poet's Life". This really is Los Angeles.
Soon as we paid, they gave us a postcard each to take home, stamped with "Admit One" from the Museum of Death in blood red ink. Corny, right? I thought it was cute.
The first room consisted of funeral-themed tools, wall of matches from a funeral home, a running video of how to embalm somebody. Behind that wall was the real live chopped off head of the Bluebeard of Paris. There's a hallway of extremely detailed photographs of gorey deaths, rooms of Charles Manson's, Richard Ramirez's and Henry Lee Lucas' art, a running video of Jeffrey Dahmer's court trials, beds made up with actual clothing from victims at Jim Jones' camp..
My two favorite parts were:
1) the Theatre of Death, in which there is a projector streaming videos of real-life violence, tragedy, and death. Most of which come from surveillance tapes. The resident dog came and sat next to us as we watched the reel and we got to pet him. You really wonder what he thinks of all this.
2) There was a small portion of a room dedicated to Rozz Williams of Christian Death. Hell yeah. It's the little things that count.
There is just so much more. Look all around you, even above the doors. You'll find something to creep you out and keep you interested. This place is nothing short of awesome and memorable. At the end we did get to see the owner's two-headed turtle. Thanks BFF. You really know how to keep a girl awake.
This place is as strange as it gets.
And why would they open this place if it isn't completely finished? I saw like half the exhibits and don't know what the point was. I mean I salute the for making it possible but I wont be going back until it is complete and maybe then I'd feel like I've grown since then and understand why someone would invest in such a thing.
Wow...just wow. This is an interesting tribute to a natural part of everyone's life, but on an extreme level. You'll learn basic embalming techniques, view antique funeral caskets and accessories, and see a mummified head. The exhibits take a macabre turn as you view the darker side of death, in the form of serial killers and political upheavals. The museum is truly a tribute to death, in all its forms and I was very impressed by the collections the owners/curators have assembled. Probably not for the faint of heart or children, but definitely a rare opportunity to scare the pants off a date or satisfy your own morbid curiousity. The museum is transitioning from a previous location, so it's not perfect yet, but I bet you overlook the rough edges, considering the diverse displays you'll see. Don't miss this.
Most probably don't have the cajones to venture inside... this isn't some Ripley's Believe it Or Not exhibit. This is some flesh rending, serial killing, black metal madness. They even have a two headed turtle as the mascot! The owners are total sweethearts. Check it out.
In my defense I was here on a work related thingy because the guy who runs the place is really really nice and part of the Chamber of Commerce.
But it was weird and scary for me.
JD & Cathee have created a space for adventurous folks to escape their bullshit lives and to maybe even gain a little gratitude that they are still breathing. They have a well rounded collection of serial killer murderbilia, funeral ephemera, sideshow taxidermy & other assorted things related to death. GREAT place to bring a date...I've done it many times through the years. Hell, we even threw our pre-wedding party at their last location in Hollywood. JD & Cathee are wonderful hosts with a great sense of humor and can really make you feel welcome. I can't recommend this place enough!!
After a relocation & some delays... the museum is back & down the street! So I finally went cuz I've been DYING of curiosity {bad joke- i know} anyway it wasn't as morbid as I thought. It almost felt like I was going through somebodys house (probably didn't help that i was greeted by the couple & their dogs.) It's objective- it gave room to humans (and other animals!) of all ages who died for many different reasons. It also did a good job of not making the victims or killers 'good' or 'bad'- just kinda puting it out there for you to decide. That said everyone will have a different reaction to it. So I won't say much more- except that the lady said they'll be adding more soon [alot of the rooms seemed to be closed for future exhibits] so I'll go back for that, and i won't forget to say hello again to their adorable Iguanas :)
I miss you... When we lived in San Diego together it was fabulous... Why did you have to go?
I found this place to be quite interesting; it's a small, maze-like museum that takes you to different sections; I enjoyed reading about the different slayings although looking at the pictures that went along with them made me feel a little uncomfortable, slightly grossed out but somehow still intrigued, I was half-expecting for a corpse to pop out in one of the coffins and it seemed as if the black dog was following us around then would scurry away...ahh, the mind can play some tricks! I loved all the old death-related stuff they had - vintage books, mortuary fans, animal skulls, taxidermy, old newspaper clippings and some art. Did anyone read the Cannibal's Prayer? Effin' great. But yeah, not for the squeamish; you won't be disappointed if you like to read and are into the morbid side of things. Think "Faces of Death". Also, free museum parking in the back; such a luxury for LA residents!
definetely a hastily put together type of thing
but the attention to display & detail blows me away... all those times i thought i was being artsy when i attempted to hand sew couch covers (dont ask), or the times i put together alberto vargas collages for my then courting boyfriend, well those sloppy periods of arts and crafts dont compare to the stuff this museum boasts..
almost an entire wall w/ matchbooks of different mortuaries over the country!
almost 2 walls covered w/ newspapers front pages.. that big black bold EXTRA only our grandparents can recall.. (as print was the only way to get a hold of gory secret details, i.e the black dahlia info being leaked to the press by the shady lapd of the 40's)
pics of jfk after the shooting! ive never seen this!
and after reading for years, from every single book i could get my paws on about the black dahlia, i had never been able to find a pic of that one gruesome peice of info: the poor wannabe starlet had pubic hair shoved up her anus after her death... hey! i didnt do it! ive just read about it for YEARS & finally i see a pic of it! an 11 x 14 no less! (probably bigger, but i left my toolbox at home)
well i love true crime/ LA confidential/ james elroy type stuff, so that alone, is why im giving 5 stars to this quaint, punk rock museum!
jayne mansfields chihauha taxidermied!
richard ramirez drawing!
free parking in the back
2 buildings west of the now defunct florentine gardens on the north side of hollywood blvd!
