Kids and families headed to Pigeon Forge this Sunday can trade the usual mountain souvenirs for a crash course in crime-scene science. Alcatraz East Crime Museum is marking National STEM Day on Sunday, November 8, with hands-on labs built around fingerprinting and forensics, all included with regular museum admission.
The museum announced the event would run from 10 am to 3 pm, giving visitors a chance to explore the science and technology behind forensic investigation, according to the seed City of Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism Facebook post. Guests can take part in special STEM labs, learn how fingerprints are collected and analyzed, and discover what it takes to become a fingerprint technician, per the same post. As mypigeonforge.com describes it, the museum is inviting visitors to “join us on Sunday, November 8th, for hands-on STEM labs that explore the science behind fingerprinting and forensics,” adding that “all labs are included with general admission.”
A New Addition to the Museum's Bundy Display
Alongside the STEM programming, the museum has expanded a display that has stood in its CSI gallery for several years: the 1968 Volkswagen Beetle associated with Ted Bundy. The event listing notes that the museum is now showing the car's front passenger seat, described as having been used during his crimes and retained as evidence following his arrest.
The listing states that evidence recovered from the vehicle contributed to the investigation and subsequent convictions on multiple charges, including kidnapping and murder. Per the event description, the museum frames the seat's addition as a way to highlight the importance of DNA collection and analysis during investigations, tying the historic artifact directly into Sunday's forensic science theme.
What the Labs Could Teach About Forensic Careers
The Sunday event is designed for kids and families to explore STEM concepts alongside career opportunities in criminal justice and law enforcement, according to the Facebook announcement. A separate museum explainer on fingerprint analysts notes that the field generally requires at least a bachelor's degree, preferably in a science discipline such as chemistry or biology.
That same museum resource, published on alcatrazeast.com, also points to a credentialing option in the field: the International Association for Identification offers what is known as the Tenprint Certification test. It is not established whether Sunday's labs will walk attendees through those specific career requirements, but the explainer offers a glimpse into the path professionals in the field typically follow.
For now, the draw is hands-on: dusting for prints, examining forensic evidence up close, and getting a fresh look at a car tied to one of the country's most notorious criminal cases, all without paying anything beyond the museum's standard ticket price.
