What Is Dark Tourism? Why People Visit Sites Of Tragedy

Understanding Dark Tourism: Definition and History

What is Dark Tourism?

Dark tourism refers to travel to locations associated with death, tragedy, or human suffering. These destinations range from World War II concentration camps to modern disaster zones, each offering visitors a sobering reminder of humanity’s most difficult chapters. At their core, these journeys are not about entertainment; they are about education, remembrance, and reflection.

“Visiting these sites creates an opportunity for people to confront history in a direct, personal way,” explains Dr. Emily Harrington, a university history professor. “When travelers walk the grounds of Auschwitz or the Cambodian Killing Fields, they engage with memory and morality. It’s a way of ensuring that the lessons of the past are not forgotten.”

For many travelers, dark tourism is a way to show respect for victims, connect to pivotal moments in time, and learn from curated exhibits at places like Ground Zero or Pompeii. These visits preserve vital stories, creating spaces for reflection that help future generations understand what happened—and why it still matters.

Where Did Dark Tourism Originate?

Although the term is modern, the practice is not. Ancient Romans flocked to watch gladiator battles in the Colosseum. In the 1700s, Pompeii became a major attraction after its ruins revealed a city frozen in time by volcanic disaster. Battlefield tourism also has deep roots—after the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, crowds came to see where history unfolded.

The phrase “dark tourism” itself was coined in 1996 by scholars John Lennon and Malcolm Foley, while researcher A.V. Seaton introduced the term thanatourism the same year to describe travel explicitly linked to death. These concepts gave academic structure to a behavior humans have practiced for centuries.

How Has Dark Tourism Developed as a Field?

Since the 1990s, dark tourism has grown into a recognized field of study within tourism, history, and cultural research. Scholars examine visitor motivations, management of memorials, and ethical presentation of tragic events. By 2014, researchers had even begun categorizing dark tourism into distinct groups—such as Holocaust remembrance sites, slavery heritage locations, and modern disaster zones.

Today, the field continues to evolve. Experts seek to understand not only why people visit these places, but also how sites can balance education, respect, and emotional impact in ways that honor victims while fostering global awareness.

Types of Dark Tourism Sites

Dark tourism takes many forms, spanning centuries of history and cultures around the globe. These destinations, whether war memorials, disaster zones, prisons, or cemeteries, offer travelers a chance to learn, reflect, and understand the complexities of human experience.

War and Genocide Sites

Among the most powerful dark tourism destinations are those tied to war and genocide. These memorials and museums are dedicated to remembrance and education, ensuring the stories of victims and survivors are not lost.

• Auschwitz Concentration Camp (Poland): Preserves original barracks, belongings, and photographs, providing a raw account of Holocaust history.
• Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (Cambodia): Once a prison under the Khmer Rouge, its cells and exhibits document the brutality of that regime.
• U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum (Washington, D.C.): Visitors receive an ID card of a real victim, creating a deeply personal journey through the exhibits.
• Spirit Lake Internment Camp Centre (Canada): Educates about Japanese-Canadian internment during World War II.
• Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall (China): Commemorates the victims of atrocities committed in 1937.
• Culloden Battlefield (Scotland): A pivotal 1746 battle that altered Highland culture.
• Berlin’s Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe (Germany): A striking memorial of 2,711 concrete slabs for reflection and remembrance.
• Cambodia’s Killing Fields (Choeung Ek): Preserves mass graves and memorials for genocide victims.
• Ground Zero / 9-11 Memorial (New York): Reflecting pools and the museum honor the nearly 3,000 lives lost.
• Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Japan): The A-Bomb Dome stands as a preserved ruin symbolizing the horrors of nuclear warfare.

“I didn’t expect to be so moved,” says Lauren M., a traveler from Montana. “Walking through Auschwitz, I felt a heaviness I couldn’t put into words. It wasn’t about tourism—it was about witnessing and carrying forward the memory of people who endured unthinkable suffering.”

Natural Disaster Sites

These locations remind us of nature’s force and humanity’s resilience in the face of catastrophe.

• Vajont Dam Disaster Site (Italy): A 1963 landslide triggered a flood that killed nearly 2,000 people.
• Mount St. Helens (USA): Preserves the aftermath of the 1980 volcanic eruption.
• Indian Ocean Tsunami Memorial (Thailand): Police Boat 813, carried 2km inland by waves, now stands as a symbol of the 2004 tragedy.
• Prince William Sound (Alaska): The Exxon Valdez oil spill’s environmental impact remains part of its story.
• Lower Ninth Ward Living Museum (New Orleans, USA): Community-led museum sharing Hurricane Katrina survival stories.
• Great Kanto Earthquake Memorial Museum (Tokyo): Preserves memory of the 1923 quake that killed over 140,000.
• Pompeii (Italy): The ancient city frozen in time by Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.
• Tangiwai Disaster Memorial (New Zealand): Honors 151 lives lost in a 1953 volcanic mudflow rail tragedy.

Prisons and Execution Sites

Prison tourism draws travelers seeking insight into justice, punishment, and reform movements across history.

• Alcatraz (San Francisco, USA): America’s most famous prison turned museum.
• Eastern State Penitentiary (Philadelphia, USA): Gothic cells offer an eerie lesson in early prison design.
• Robben Island (South Africa): Symbol of apartheid resistance where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned.
• Hoa Lo Prison (Vietnam): Known as the “Hanoi Hilton,” it holds both colonial and Vietnam War history.
• Tower of London (UK): Centuries of executions and imprisonment.
• Devil’s Island (French Guiana): Once an infamous penal colony.
• (Plus others like Beaumaris Prison, La Catedral, Ebensee, London Dungeon, etc.)

Cemeteries and Catacombs

Cemeteries and underground catacombs provide insight into cultural beliefs about death and remembrance.

• Paris Catacombs (France): Miles of tunnels lined with bones.
• Old Burying Point (Salem, USA): Graves of 1692 witch trial victims.
• Sedlec Ossuary (Czech Republic): A chapel decorated with human bones.
• Highgate Cemetery (London, UK): Resting place of Karl Marx and Douglas Adams.
• Valley of the Kings (Egypt): Ancient royal tombs, including Tutankhamun.
• St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 (New Orleans, USA): Famous above-ground tombs shaped by French and Spanish influence.

Popular Dark Tourism Destinations & What Makes Them Stand Out

While dark tourism exists worldwide, some sites stand out as the most visited and impactful. These destinations not only preserve history but also attract millions of travelers seeking to understand and honor the past.

Auschwitz Concentration Camp in Poland

Auschwitz stands as the largest Nazi concentration camp from World War II. Located in Poland, over 1.1 million people died here between 1940 and 1945. The camp started as a Polish political prisoner facility. It grew into a massive death camp.

Nazi forces used gas chambers and crematoriums for mass killings. Thousands of Jews, Roma people, Africans and other victims died daily. The site now serves as the world’s most visited Holocaust tourism destination. Millions come yearly to learn about this tragic history chapter.

The Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum protects important artifacts. It shares stories of those who suffered. Visitors see original buildings, personal items, and photographs. These show the scale of Nazi crimes.

Most visitors want to understand and honor victims. They don’t come just to sightsee. Museum staff work to stop disrespectful behavior like inappropriate selfies. They teach proper ways to pay respect while learning. Careful preservation helps people grasp the Holocaust’s full impact.

Ground Zero at the World Trade Center

Ground Zero symbolizes resilience and remembrance in New York City. The National September 11 Memorial and Museum occupies this sacred space. Visitors connect deeply with 9/11 events through multimedia displays. Personal stories bring that day’s human impact into sharp focus.

The site serves as an education and reflection place. Millions visit yearly to preserve memories of those lost. They learn about this pivotal history moment. Twin reflecting pools sit in the original Twin Towers’ footprints. These create peaceful contemplation spaces.

Local guides stress showing respect at this solemn location. Some tourists have caused concern with inappropriate behavior. Photos should honor the site’s significance. Visits help ensure we never forget this tragedy.

Chernobyl Exclusion Zone 

The Chernobyl Exclusion Zone freezes time from the 1986 nuclear disaster. Empty buildings, abandoned homes, and untouched artifacts tell the story. A city left behind in an instant remains visible today.

Guided tours take visitors through safe paths in this haunting landscape. Nature slowly reclaims spaces humans once occupied. The zone offers rare glimpses into nuclear technology’s power and dangers.

Netflix’s “Dark Tourist” host David Farrier showed in his show why this site attracts curious travelers. A thriving community became a ghost town overnight. The site reminds us what happens when technology fails. This makes it different from other tourist destinations worldwide.

Catacombs of Paris

Beneath the magical city of Paris hides a tunnel maze filled with millions of human bones. Neatly stacked skulls and bones line dark, cool passageway walls. Tourists have walked these underground paths since the 1800s. They come to see this unique burial site.

The catacombs were created in the late 18th century to solve a public health crisis caused by overcrowded cemeteries, where bodies were overflowing and causing health issues, and to address sinkholes caused by collapsed underground quarries. Millions of bones were transferred from Parisian cemeteries into the former limestone quarry tunnels, which were then arranged into decorative patterns and opened to the public in 1809.

Today guided tours start with 131 steep steps down into the underground ossuary. Carved stone pillars and centuries-old warning signs appear inside. These tunnels stretch miles under city streets. Only a small part stays open to visitors. 

Rwandan Genocide Memorials

Rwanda’s genocide memorials symbolize the country’s tragic past. Murambi Technical School serves as a moving memorial site. Visitors learn about the 1994 genocide that killed over 800,000 people.

These sacred spaces preserve victims’ stories. Displays include personal items, photographs, and educational exhibits. They help understand this dark history chapter’s scale.

Several key memorial sites spread across Rwanda. Each offers unique genocide insights. The Kigali Genocide Memorial acts as the main education center. Ntarama Church and Nyamata Church show mass killing realities.

These sites teach about hatred and division’s consequences. They help prevent future tragedies through education. Memorials give families places to honor lost loved ones. They help Rwanda’s healing process continue.

Why Do People Visit Sites of Tragedy?

Overwhelmingly, people feel drawn to sites of tragedy because they want to understand history, process grief, and pay respects to victims. These journeys aren’t about morbid curiosity alone—they’re about connecting with stories that shaped our world and finding meaning in remembrance.

What Drives Historical Curiosity?

Natural curiosity is one of the strongest motivators behind dark tourism. Standing on the very ground where history unfolded creates a visceral connection that books and documentaries cannot replicate. 

“Being on location changes everything,” says Sarah Patel, a travel journalist based in Vancouver. “I’ve covered destinations across the globe, but the weight of walking through Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial or Cambodia’s Killing Fields is unlike any other experience. It forces you to confront the fragility of life and the importance of memory.”

This curiosity is not new. Public executions once drew large crowds. Today, people explore dark tourism sites for the same reason they watch true-crime documentaries or horror films: a need to confront mortality in a way that feels safe but meaningful.

How Do Visitors Connect with Shared Memory?

Many memorials personalize history by giving visitors a story to hold on to. At the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, guests receive an ID card with a real victim’s biography, creating an intimate link with the past. In Berlin, community memorials allow collective grieving, while the Pulse Memorial in Orlando shows how sites become gathering spaces for healing.

Small acts—leaving flowers, lighting candles, writing notes—become shared rituals. They help people process grief while affirming solidarity with others who endured loss.

Why Do People Honor Victims at These Sites?

At their core, dark tourism sites are sacred spaces of remembrance. In fact, often there are ceremonies at Auschwitz, Hiroshima, and Cambodia’s Killing Fields invite visitors to honor victims and reflect on the human cost of violence. Survivor testimonies and memorial programs strengthen empathy and remind us why these histories must never be forgotten.

For many, bearing witness is a responsibility. To stand at these sites is to acknowledge the suffering of others and carry those lessons into the future. It’s this mix of education, empathy, and remembrance that gives dark tourism its enduring impact.

 

Ethical Considerations in Dark Tourism

Visiting sites tied to tragedy requires more than just curiosity—it demands respect. These places are sacred to survivors, families, and communities who continue to carry the weight of history. The best practice for travelers is simple: approach every site as if you were entering a memorial service.

How to Respect the Dead and Cultural Sensitivities

Respect is shown in action:

• Keep solemn spaces solemn. Speak quietly, move with awareness, and allow others the chance to grieve.
• Follow photography rules. If photos are allowed, avoid selfies and poses that trivialize suffering. Many sites strictly ban images of human remains.
• Dress with consideration. Cover shoulders and knees at religious or memorial sites. Shoes may need to be removed in sacred spaces.
• Know before you go. Read about the site’s history and customs before visiting—showing up informed is a sign of respect.
• Honor victims with dignity. Speak and act in ways that acknowledge their humanity, not just their tragedy.

Best practice: Before visiting, pause to ask yourself: Would my actions be appropriate if family members of victims were watching me right now? If the answer is no, don’t do it.

Bad actors: Unfortunately, not every attraction gets it right. In Florida, people have been stopping by “Alligator Alcatraz” trivializing the awful concentration camp by turning a prison into a sideshow making fun of the conditions that include it being surrounded by reptiles. These kinds of “dark tourism knockoffs” undermine the seriousness of real historical sites and should be avoided.

Challenges in Managing Dark Tourism

Dark tourism sites face a delicate balance: preserving history, educating visitors, and sustaining operations without crossing into exploitation. Crowds, commercialization, and even social media have tested how these sites function.

How to Balance Education and Commercialization

Some sites lean too heavily on ticket sales, gift shops, or sensational storytelling, diluting their purpose. The most respected destinations—like Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial—require guided entry and cap visitor numbers to maintain focus on education rather than spectacle.

Best practice: Support sites and tour operators that reinvest profits into preservation and education, rather than those that gamify or sensationalize tragedy. If a tour feels like it’s trying to entertain rather than educate, it’s likely exploiting history.

What Are Solutions to Overcrowding?

Overcrowding threatens both preservation and visitor experience. Thoughtful management is key:

• Timed entry tickets spread out foot traffic. (Used at Auschwitz and the Paris Catacombs.)
• Small group tours allow deeper reflection and less congestion.
• Virtual tours (offered by Hiroshima Peace Memorial and Ground Zero) provide alternatives for those unable to visit in person.

Best practice: Travelers should book in advance, choose off-peak times, and remain patient. Responsible tourism means accepting restrictions designed to protect the dignity of these sites.

How to Visit Dark Tourism Sites Responsibly

Responsible dark tourism means being a witness, not a consumer. Every action you take reflects on how victims, survivors, and local communities experience your presence.

Why Research Matters

Arriving informed helps you connect more deeply and avoid missteps. Researching history before your visit also helps prepare you emotionally—dark tourism can be heavy, and knowing what to expect allows for more meaningful reflection.

Best practice: Read survivor accounts or watch documentaries in advance to understand personal stories, not just dates and numbers.

How to Follow Local Guidelines and Cultural Norms

Local customs are not optional—they are integral to the meaning of the site. Removing shoes at temples, observing silence during ceremonies, and dressing appropriately all demonstrate respect.

Best practice: When in doubt, ask your guide or look to how locals behave, then follow their lead.

Photography and Behavior to Avoid

Photos can educate, but they can also offend. Selfies at Auschwitz or staged poses at the 9/11 Memorial trivialize grief. Similarly, loud talking, joking, or wandering off marked paths diminishes the solemnity of the experience.

Best practice: Treat dark tourism sites as you would a funeral: quiet, respectful, and present. Document only when it adds to remembrance or learning.

Final Thoughts

Dark tourism is not about chasing shock—it is about remembering, learning, and honoring. These journeys bring us face-to-face with humanity’s most difficult lessons, from genocide and war to disaster and resilience. Visiting such places offers deep insight into human nature and reminds us of the importance of empathy, peace, and responsibility.

The most respectful travelers recognize that these sites are sacred. They move quietly, learn carefully, and treat every memorial as if it were their own family’s history. The best practice is simple: arrive informed, behave with reverence, and leave the site exactly as you found it.

Through responsible dark tourism, we preserve memory for future generations. By asking what is dark tourism and participating with care, we ensure these stories continue to teach—not just about the tragedies of the past, but about the values we need to carry into the future.

 

 

FAQs

1. What is dark tourism, and why do people do it?

Dark tourism involves visiting places linked to death, tragedy, or suffering. People often visit these sites for educational tourism purposes, to learn about history, and to better understand important events like the Cold War or the Khmer Rouge genocide.

2. What makes dark tourism ethical and responsible?

Ethical dark tourism means showing respect at tragic sites, avoiding vandalism, and not treating places like the Killing Fields or Checkpoint Charlie as mere tourist spots. Visitors should focus on learning and remembering history.

3. What are some well-known dark tourism sites?

Famous sites include the Killing Fields in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, United Airlines Flight 93 memorial from Sept. 11, 2001, and various Cold War locations along the Iron Curtain. See the full article above to learn about the most popular sites.

4. How can tourists avoid being disrespectful at these sites?

Visitors should follow site rules, avoid taking inappropriate photos, and remember these are places where real people suffered. It’s important not to treat these locations like regular tourist attractions. See the full article for tips on best practices.

5. Does dark tourism help preserve historical memory?

Yes, responsible dark tourism helps keep historical memories alive through heritage tourism. It teaches future generations about events like the Khmer Rouge genocide and helps prevent similar tragedies.

6. What motivates people to visit dark tourism sites?

People visit these sites to learn about history, understand human moral choices, and connect with past events. Social cognitive theory suggests this helps people process difficult historical events and learn from them.