National Museum of Crime and Punishment
May 19th, 2008 | by Tom Harper |Washington D.C.’s newest tourist attraction is the National Museum of Crime and Punishment. Most of the exhibits are experiential; interactive. Visitors can simulate committing a crime. Or they can “be” a police officer on a high-speed chase.
They can “perform” an autopsy on a murder victim. Or they can be “sentenced” for their crime and simulate being inside a prison cell.
This hands-on interactive approach is supposed to attract Generation Y customers. A local tourism studies professor said: “Look at the younger generations — they’re all experience-oriented. If it’s not interactive, I can’t see it’s going to appeal to them.”
It’ll be interesting to see how accurate these “crime” and “punishment” features are. Maybe it’ll be just like those TV cop shows where the police ignore all the prostitutes and drug users because they’re looking for a murderer. Or maybe:
YOU have been convicted of having consensual sex with a girl who’s under eighteen. You are hereby sentenced to ten years in prison.
YOU have been found guilty of stealing billions of dollars from your customers and employees. Thousands of your employees have lost their pensions because of you. Now hold out your wrist — it’s going to get slapped.
YOU have just been pulled over for a minor traffic violation, and the arresting officer has found a small amount of marijuana in your glove compartment. Your car is being confiscated, but that won’t matter anyway since you’re going to jail for fifteen years.
Your company is manufacturing products which have caused immeasurable death and tragedy. Your punishment: next year’s bonus package will be even larger. Keep up the good work.
