Medieval Torture Museum Chicago, IL

Emotions are a genuine time machine. The emotions inspired by the Medieval Torture Museum Chicago will transport you back in time hundreds of years to some of the most miserable moments in human history.

The exhibit is a unique presentation that combines academic research with the contradictive, emotionally repulsive draw of time in history when torture and torment were commonplace.

The collection targets the most primal emotional response - fear. The film industry spends millions of dollars on horror films, tapping into that most basic response and our desire to know it more intimately without actually having to be afraid.

The Medieval Torture Museum reminds us just how much suffering humanity can inflict in the name of cause and justice when the right tools are placed in the hands of fanatics, madmen, and tyrants.

Based on historical documents and engravings, the museum has amassed an unprecedented collection of cruelty, re-creating the atmosphere that prevailed throughout most of the Middle Ages. For several years, a team of scientists, historians, decorators, and sculptors have worked on creating a unique, holistic concept consisting of several hundred pieces, exhibits united in individually-themed scenes. To enhance the effect, ambient sound and human mannequins are used, made with the utmost realism, making them hard to distinguish from real people.

The exhibit fills more than 6000 sq. ft. Spend an hour here, and you will better know the nature of fear. Are you brave enough?