During the month of October, many people join in the spirit of Halloween by putting yourself in scary situations, like going to see one horror movie or visit one haunted house. However, some travelers seek that feeling year-round by engaging in “dark tourism.”
Dark tourism is the act of going to places associated with the macabre or historical sites where death and suffering occurred. Places like Chernobyl; Auschwitz; Salem, Massachusetts; and infamous crime scenes are some of the locations linked to darker historical stories that tourists choose to visit. In addition to historical interest, people visit these places to feel a connection to the victims and come to terms with the injustices they endured.
Another part of the appeal is the physical burden one often bears when in a state of insecurity. James Giordano, a neurobiologist at Georgetown University Medical Center, says fear causes a specific response in the human body.
“The idea of somewhere that evokes fear or evokes terror and is colorful is interesting,” Giordano said. “Going to those places feels like we’re hanging out on the edge a little bit.” Think, he said, of when someone might stare intently at a terrible car accident on the side of the road. Going to some of the spaces where tragedy has occurred can evoke similar feelings, but in different ways.
Fear and the rush of adrenaline that comes with it are always present. So is the ability to relate in some way to the historical lessons one might glean from visiting a horrific place in history. But another important factor is also present: safety. Everyone expects fear but they also know that they will always be safe. As Giordano puts it, the appeal of dark tourism lies in “all the rush but none of the reality.”
Not just witchcraft
A museum in the tiny Swiss town of Ennenda commemorates the last person executed for practicing witchcraft in Europe. Visitors can learn about the historic site and even see the sword used to behead the woman accused of poverty, Anna Göldi, who was killed in 1782. Nicole Billeter, one of the curators museum Anna Goldi Museumsaid the museum and its presentation aim to educate visitors about incidents that occurred hundreds of years ago in a way that counters historical misconceptions about witchcraft since the 19th century.
“There are a lot of false images surrounding witchcraft that started in the 19th century,” says Billeter. “Everyone has this historical picture of witchcraft. [what people who are condemned for witchcraft did] That’s actually historically wrong. We want to fix it.”
The history of Anna Göldi is discussed in Swiss schools, Billeter says, and so local tourists come looking for a connection to history. “In Switzerland, we have all kinds of young people,” she says. “I was surprised to see teenagers coming here.”
