Alcatraz East facts for kids

Outside of Alcatraz East Crime Museum. The building is modeled to look like a 19th-century prison.

Alcatraz East is a special museum in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, that focuses on the history of crime and justice in America. It's a private museum, meaning it's not run by the government. It first opened in 2008 in Washington, D.C., but then moved to its current spot in Pigeon Forge in 2016. The museum was created by a lawyer named John Morgan and Janine Vaccarello.

What is Alcatraz East?

Alcatraz East is a large museum, about 24,000 square feet, spread over two floors. Its design looks like an old prison from the 1800s, similar to the famous Alcatraz island prison in San Francisco.

Exploring the Museum

The museum has many interactive displays and real items that help visitors learn about different parts of crime history. You can explore topics like why people break rules, how law enforcement works, and how the justice system operates in the U.S. It also shares stories of people affected by crime and how science helps solve cases.

A Look at History

In the historical parts of the museum, you can see how past events unfolded, how cases were solved, and how juries made decisions. There are also interesting facts about well-known people who broke laws.

What You Can See and Do

The museum has 20 different areas to explore, divided into five main themes:

• The history of American crime
• The results of breaking laws
• How crime scenes are investigated
• How law enforcement fights crime
• Crime in popular culture

You can see real items that were used as evidence in famous cases. There are also many hands-on activities. For example, you can try out a lab like a crime scene investigator (CSI), learn about safe-cracking, or even try a simulated shooting range. You can also learn about safe driving choices and try digital fingerprinting.

Famous Items on Display

Some of the interesting items you can see at Alcatraz East include:

• A car once owned by John Dillinger, a famous lawbreaker.
• A rosary that belonged to Al Capone.
• A Volkswagen Beetle that belonged to Ted Bundy.
• The Ford Bronco from a well-known case involving O. J. Simpson.
• An FBI machine used to test if someone is telling the truth.
• Items related to the 2012 Benghazi event.
• The newest technology used by law enforcement.