Alcatraz East Crime Museum, which is located near The Island in Pigeon Forge, is a fantastic new crime museum that will have crime geeks drooling. The huge, 25,000 square feet museum includes five unique galleries and over 100 interactive exhibits!
The design of the Alcatraz East Crime Museum building was modeled after the first prison in the State of Tennessee and Alcatraz. The museum incorporates the castle-like look of the 1898 Tennessee State Prison just outside of Nashville and the watch towers of Alcatraz.
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A few of our favorite exhibits include:
American Crime
Remember O.J. Simpson speeding away in the white Ford Bronco? That vehicle and many other famous getaway cars can only be seen at Alcatraz East Crime Museum. There are plentiful artifacts and souvenirs including guns, papers, vehicles, and more that remind us of some of the most famous criminals in our country’s history.
Punishment
Want to hang out in a jail cell for the afternoon? Now, you have your chance to get behind bars! Spend some time getting your mug shot taken, take a lie detector test, and then experience jail life… temporarily.
In addition to the permanent exhibits, Alcatraz East Crime Museum rotates through temporary exhibits – this was actually one of our favorite facets of this cool museum. The ugly truth of wildlife trafficking was the temporary exhibit the day we visited. As a local who loves our black bears, it was interesting to discover that our beloved creatures are being illegally killed to produce medicines. The temporary exhibit was a collaborative production with several non-profits and government agencies meant to highlight the dangers of the multi-billion dollar illegal wildlife trafficking industry.
There are also two interactive exhibits (require an upgraded ticket):
The Heist
Get ready to experience the adrenaline rush of participating in a museum burglary! As you try to steal a valuable museum piece, you will have to weave your way through an advanced laser-based security system. Can you do it?
Top Detective Challenge
Do you have what it takes to solve a crime? Put yourself in the shoes of law enforcement attempting to solve a museum heist. The clues throughout Alcatraz East Crime Museum will help you crack the case!
Insider Tip:
If you are traveling with young children, we recommend upgrading to VIP admission (only $5 more than general admission with audio). Some of the static exhibits may be disturbing to young children and the VIP admission includes all of the interactive exhibits.
Directions:
The Alcatraz East Crime Museum is located in Pigeon Forge between Lights #3 and #4 on the main Parkway. It is near The Island