Attraction Spotlight: Alcatraz East

One of the newer attractions we've had this year is quite a different type of affair than Pigeon Forge typically has - an interactive museum detailing the subject of crime and justice that makes it kinda fun and appropriate. This would almost fit more in Gatlinburg alongside the Ripley's Believe It or Not! museum and the Guinness World of Records, but even then there is nothing quite like it in the Smokies - and those of you who have not been to it yet should consider doing so on your next visit to the Smokies.

From the Alcatraz East website:

"Alcatraz East is a crime museum featuring an in-depth look at American crime history, which includes artifacts from lots of different eras and topics, not just the penitentiary on Alcatraz Island.

The museum has five galleries: History of Crime, Crime Scene Investigation, The Consequence of Crime, Crime Fighting and Pop Culture.

From white-collar crimes, to Old West gunslingers, the museum features original artifacts from Jesse James to Whitey Bulger. Things to watch for include the famous O.J. Simpson chase Bronco, John Dillinger’s death mask, Al Capone’s rosary, a submachine gun from the movie Scarface, and Ted Bundy’s VW Beetle. Within those galleries are 28 topic areas with interactive exhibits and over 500 authentic artifacts that the entire family can enjoy."

There are permanent exhibits as well as temporary ones that show up from time to time. There are also special events as guest speakers and other activities appear to further add excitement to an already exciting place and much more. This attraction is open 365 days a year and you can find more information on it as well as seasonal hours at https://www.alcatrazeast.com.

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The 2017 Eclipse Is Right Around The Corner!

This coming Monday, August 21st, is going to be the famed total solar eclipse that you've likely been hearing about since the end of Spring. This is going to be a VERY rare and VERY big event - the last time we had something like this happen was in 1918 - and we are very fortunate to have the Smoky Mountains be part of this awesome event!

We posted on the solar eclipse some time ago and in this article, we'll reference that previous article to make the relevant information convenient to grab.

Previously Posted:

Here's some news we found out today. It seems the Knoxville area of East Tennessee (and presumably those of us in Sevier County) will get to experience a Solar Eclipse on August 21st, 2017. Although this will be a partial solar eclipse instead of a total solar eclipse, you should definitely save the date and get ready for a visual treat!

Here's all the current information we have on that:

Viewing Time: 1:04PM - 3:58PM
Max Viewing Time: 2:34PM

The Great Smoky Mountain National Park Service will also be holding a viewing event at three places within the Western side of the National Park:

* Clingman's Dome
* Cades Cove
* Oconaluftee

See more information on the viewing and tickets for it at https://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/2017-solar-eclipse.htm.

You can also build a simple card projector using these instructions from timeanddate.com:

"DIY: Simple Card Projector
The simplest and quickest way to safely project the Sun is with a projector made from only 2 pieces of card or paper.

You Need:
* 2 pieces of stiff white cardboard, e.g. 2 paper plates
alternatively, 2 sheets of plain white paper
* a thumbtack, a sharp pin or a needle.

What to Do:
Diagram of a DIY pinhole projector.
The concept of a pinhole projector ©timeanddate.com

To make a quick version of the pinhole projector, take a sheet of paper and make a tiny hole in the middle of it using a pin or a thumbtack. Make sure that the hole is round and smooth.

With your back towards the Sun, hold 1 piece of paper above your shoulder allowing the Sun to shine on the paper.

The 2nd sheet of paper will act as a screen. Hold it at a distance, and you will see an inverted image of the Sun projected on the paper screen through the pinhole.

To make the image of the Sun larger, hold the screen paper further away from the paper with the pinhole.

A box projector works on the same principles, it requires a little more time and a few extra items to construct, but it is more sturdy.

Keep Safe! Never look at the Sun directly without protective eye gear. Even sunglasses cannot protect your eyes from the damage the Sun's rays can do to them."

See more information on this at https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/solar/2017-august-21.

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