Bundy and Dahmer investigate London's new serial killer exhibition: But is that a step too far?

An exhibition opened in London last week that will definitely divide opinions, not only because of its provocative subject matter and graphic content, but also because of what it says about you, me and us.

The extensive exhibition, titled “Serial Killers,” is viewed as either a thought-provoking examination of the motivations and actions of some of humanity's most brutal murderers, or a chilling tribute to the crimes of damaged and deranged individuals that have brought unspeakable horror to families and communities.

All the big names are there: Charles Manson, Ted Bundy, Aileen Wuornos, Jeffrey Dahmer, Dennis Nilsen and perhaps most disturbingly, English nurse Lucy Letby, convicted last year of murdering seven babies. God only knows what her victims' families think of her being immortalized in this way.

Original artifacts, a lock of Bundy's hair, Jeffrey Dahmer's glasses, letters and artwork from prison cells lie in glass cases – important relics that need to be preserved and protected.

Reconstructions of murder scenes, complete with bloody mattresses, corpses wrapped in plastic bags, a refrigerator containing body parts and the pots in which human remains were boiled, are presented to the audience.

Don't get me wrong, I like a little true crime every now and then. I even made the effort to find out more about Ted Bundy's crimes. The little I knew was that he was considered handsome, intelligent and educated enough to conduct his own trial defense – although he died in the electric chair in 1982, so perhaps not that intelligent.

What I discovered outraged me. He was a monster who terrorized, imprisoned, brutalized, murdered and desecrated the bodies of his young female victims. But his good looks and articulation are the qualities that made him a star.

I vowed back then that I would apply one simple rule to myself to ensure that I never fell down the serial killer rabbit hole again. The rule is simple: “Will knowing even a single detail about the crimes or psychology of these murderers enrich my life in any way?”

If the answer is yes, I will try it. If not, then it stops.

Humanity's most basic instincts are stimulated

“Serial Killer” is perhaps the nadir of the deeply disturbing and hugely popular true crime genre that dominates streaming platforms – not so much Netflix and chill, more Netflix and scary.

It rides the wave of interest in true crime, with algorithms working overtime to give people what they want. It appeals to humanity's most basic instincts and packages these primal urges and fascinations as entertainment.

Amid the blood, the unsuspecting faces of the victims, and the macabre reconstructions of murder and burial sites, there are bright and colorful interactive games designed to help you figure out how much of a psychopath you are (I'm 2% below the threshold). ) or test your knowledge of serial killers and their crimes.

One room shows the depiction of serial killers in films: Freddy Krueger's clawed glove A Nightmare on Elm Street; the body armor worn by Julianne Moore in her role as Clarice Starling Hannibalthe sequel to The Silence of the Lambs; and Charlize Theron's Oscar-winning portrayal of serial killer Aileen Wuornos in Monster.

This is pure entertainment designed to get people through the door. And while there's nothing wrong with that, it's just not for me.

Exhibition must be removed after concerns

Giancarlo Guerra, the Italian director of the exhibition, told Euronews Culture that “Serial Killer” took ten years to produce, and it shows. Organizers estimate it will take more than an hour to view the more than 1,000 artifacts.

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He also explained that time had been taken to ensure that the issue was handled sensitively and that victims and their families would benefit from the exhibition through a charity.

Guerra emphasized that the majority of cases presented are older than 40 years old and are therefore less likely to result in insults. The exception to this is the case of Lucy Letby, which will be removed from the exhibition after careful review by the curators.

“Serial Killer” describes itself as a representation of the serial killer phenomenon from a historical, educational and scientific perspective. It does this by introducing investigative and forensic techniques – from the 19th century to today's sophisticated criminal profiling. But who reads information about investigative techniques when to your left lie severed limbs and a bath stained with a victim's blood, and to your right an arsenal of murder weapons?

“Serial Killer” is exactly what the film promises: a graphic, uncompromising exploration of some of the most horrific serial killers of all time in forensic and theatrical detail. So it's no wonder it didn't pass my test.

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“Serial Killer: The Exhibition” runs at The Vaults in London until January 5, 2025. Check out the video above to see footage of the exhibition and our interview with the exhibition director.