Take a walk on the macabre side of human history at the Medieval Torture Museum.

It 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. 

If you have ever seen the movie “Braveheart”,  you’ll remember the classic scene where a blood-strewn William Wallace,  aka Mel Gibson, is spread-eagle on an execution scaffold as a grubby medieval crowd looks in horror.

Of course that was the Silver Screen version 

The great Scottish freedom fighter was captured in Glasgow, Scotland and found guilty of treason.

Wallace was first dragged naked behind a horse to his place of execution, where he was a emasculated while still alive, his private parts were burned in front of him. 

Wallace was killed using one of the most brutal punishments in the Medieval era. He was hung,  drawn and quartered to warn others away from the rebellion.  His head was dipped in tar and placed on a spike on London Bridge.

The largest interactive historical museum in the U.S. houses one of the largest collections of torture instruments and devices in the world.

Each piece tells a story, a narrative of a bygone era, where the line between punishment and cruelty was often blurred.

From the Iron Maiden rack, to the guillotine, to chastity belts, there are full size replicates of infamous tools of torment.

But it’s not all about gore, the museum also features exhibitions on witch hunts and the Spanish Inquisition, reminding us that fear and superstition, once played significant roles in shaping societal norms and legal practices.

There are life-size dioramas- each room is a carefully curated capsule of the past. It’s a place where the echoes of the past whisper the sounds of blacksmiths hammering, the clinks of chains and screams.

There is a terrific audio tour, kind of a history lesson with a spike, not for the faint of heart.   

The sound effects truly make you do a double take and send a chill down your spine. 

Occupying more than 4,000 square feet the museum is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

There are plenty of places to have a drink nearby if you want to get up the nerve to go at night and admission is only $24.