Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice
“Serial Killer: The Exhibition” is coming to Atlanta on Feb. 7 at Pullman Yards, bringing the world’s largest collection of original artifacts from serial killers. The stop in Atlanta marks the exhibition’s U.S. debut and its largest edition. What many have only glimpsed and gleaned from true crime documentaries and dramatic miniseries reenactments is now on display, featuring 150 killers from America, Europe, and Russia.
The 27,000-square-foot immersive experience takes guests through the minds of notorious killers such as Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer to lesser-known killers such as Anthony Sowell, known as “The Cleveland Strangler,” and Atlanta’s Howard Belcher.
Forty-two rooms have been carefully curated to display never-before-seen artifacts from the killers, such as artwork, clothes they wore, and tools they used to commit their crimes. Facts about each individual are listed, detailing a snapshot of their modus operandi, span of crimes, number of victims, and location of their killings. Different rooms delve into the psychological aspects of serial killers and how they shape violent behavior, the role of law enforcement and forensic scientists, and the impact of pop culture. It also examines serial killing as a distinct American phenomenon that reveals how territory and opportunity intersect and how the patterns of violence persist toward marginalized communities.
“You have to study each one individually. They all have different backgrounds. It’s not always abuse. It could be a trauma that they witnessed. So, we’re still learning about these things, and we still don’t know what causes and what makes a serial killer do what they do,” said documentary filmmaker John Borowski.
But what remains a huge part of the exhibit are the victims who were brutalized by these serial killers. In many rooms featuring the most notorious of them, the faces of the victims and their names and ages are displayed. The Atlanta Voice will issue a warning that crime scene photos and the aftermath of the murders are on full display. It’s a gruesome but vivid reminder that although there’s an American fascination with serial killers and their motivations, families and communities are still reeling from the loss and terror of these murders.
Borowski and true crime researcher and author Bill Kimberlin consulted on the exhibition, and said they’re focus is to explore the serial killers through a scientific, historical, and educational lens without glorifying the individual or their acts.
“Usually when they say glorifying serial killers, we’d have to say, ‘Yeah, they’re great people.’ They’re not doing that. In each room, when they talk about the killer, you’ll see there are victims’ photos on there. Their stories are important,” Borowski said. “It’s definitely not glorifying, not exploitative, or I wouldn’t be a part of it.”
The exhibition will be in Atlanta from Feb. 7 until the end of April, and will open Wednesday-Sunday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. The recommended age is 14 and up.
Tickets are available at serialkillerexhibit.com
