Michael L.
Yelp
Like many here, I'm a fan of Zak's various TV shows, even though he has the tendency to be a little bombastic from time to time, so I expected there to be a bit of that in the museum. That being said, we made visiting the museum our central activity for our annual Thanksgiving in Las Vegas, and we were not disappointed.
Being a lifelong fan of the haunted, strange, and bizarre, I went in with eyes open and was not disappointed. Zak's collection is staggering in its breadth and scope, and extends far beyond simply cursed and haunted artifacts. The collection of true crime memorabilia is much larger than the Los Angeles Museum of Death, and it felt quite uncomfortable to see so many personal items belonging to John Wayne Gacy, Richard Ramirez, Ed Gein, and Charles Manson. The VW van Dr Kevorkian used to assist with suicides was especially disturbing but also fascinating.
Equally, the cursed doll called Peggy and the infamous Dybbuk box, being secure behind glass and in special storage conditions, each seemed to have a gravity of its own, a heaviness that can be neither weighed nor measured, and yet is tangible and real. Would we have felt the same if we had no knowledge of these items and their purported legacies? I honestly can't say.
What I can say, however, is that the museum is extraordinarily well curated and the presentation is fantastic, often feeling less like a traditional museum and more of a carnival sideshow, a comparison I make from respect for the grand traditions of the sideshow. Zak is part paranormal investigator, part murderabilia collector, and part PT Barnum in his presentation of weird ephemera from all over the world. Suffice it to say we enjoyed the hell out of our visit.
My only complaint is that the tour felt somewhat rushed. With so much to see and so many fascinating items on display, I would have loved some extra time to explore. I also wish I'd have brought a note pad, as there are so many things I would love to research. However, I emailed the museum that night to ask about one of the exhibits, and they got back to me the next morning. Lastly, I would also say the gift shop is a bit uninspired and would benefit from a wider selection of souvenirs.
Do the RIP all-access tour so you don't miss anything. It's absolutely worth the extra money. At about 2.5 hours, we definitely got our money's worth and we will be visiting again.