Alcatraz East Crime Museum will commemorate the anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks with an expert guest speaker. Arthur Bohanan, a forensics expert, will be giving a special presentation on September 10, 2023. The event is included with general admission tickets. Alcatraz East will also be hosting Local Appreciation Days from September 22, 2023, through October 1, 2023, allowing locals to visit for a discounted admission rate.
“It is always an honor to host Arthur as a guest speaker,” says Ally Pennington, artifacts and programs manager at Alcatraz East Crime Museum. “Hearing him share his experience and expertise is always fascinating and it gives us a better understanding of the crucial role forensic science plays in our society.”
Arthur Bohanan will be a guest speaker at the museum on September 10, 2023. He will give 30-minute talks starting at noon and at 1:30 pm. A Sevier County native, Bohanan spent 26 years with the Knoxville Police Department, working thousands of crime scenes. His forensic expertise was also used in the wake of the September 11 attack, where he spent time at ground zero, helping with investigation and recovery.
He is a renowned speaker who has presented at the museum several times. Arthur Bohanan is an expert in the field with a thorough understanding of crime scene investigation. He has played a vital role in distinguishing between the fingerprints of children and adults in the field. He also helped start the National Forensic Academy and is known as one of the few Certified Latent Print Examiners worldwide. Throughout his career, he has developed several devices to help advance fingerprinting capabilities, even inventing methods to lift prints from corpses.
In his presentations, Bohanan will be discussing his experience working at ground zero where he helped identify human remains at the World Trade Center. His talk will feature his personal feelings about working at the scene, as well as how first responders have been impacted by the hazardous conditions they endured. Seating for the talk is on a first come, first served basis, and space is limited.
During Local Appreciation Days, general admission tickets are only $12 for all ages. To get the discounted price, guests must present their identification or paystub when purchasing the tickets. The event is open to all residents and employees who live in the counties of Blount, Cocke, Jefferson, Knox, or Sevier County, as well as any State Welcome Center Employees. The rate cannot be combined with any other discounts. The tickets provide full access to all the museum has to offer.
“We love to have our locals visit and get a chance to see what we are all about,” says Lauren Mack, sales manager at Alcatraz East Crime Museum. “Whether they have never been here or will be coming back, they will surely enjoy everything the museum has to offer.”
The museum features over 100 exhibits, with many famous items on display, including Ted Bundy’s famous Beetle and the white Bronco from the O.J. Simpson chase. They also hold an annual art contest that puts graffiti in the spotlight. This top museum is open at 10 am daily. The last tickets are sold 60 minutes before closing. These interactive experiences are available for an additional fee for birthday parties, school groups, scouts, team building, or other special events. For more information about tickets, discounts, temporary exhibits, and all the museum offers, visit the site: https://www.alcatrazeast.com.
Alcatraz East Crime Museum has updated its board of crime experts, which includes Derwin Bradley, a retired master police officer, James R. Knight, a crime writer, Robin Maynard, a certified crime scene investigator in Florida, Derek Newport, a law enforcement veteran who was with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation for 20 years, and Judge Belvin Perry, Jr., who presided in the notorious case against Casey Anthony, among others.
