These dollhouses depict hangings, suicides, and murders — and they’re still used to train forensic scientists in detective work.
Florence Glessner Lee’s 19 “Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death” are collected as part of a rare public exhibition at the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum. As the above video shows, these incredibly intricate (and sublimely creepy) dioramas are fascinating works of art and forensic science.
You can pick apart each dollhouse for interesting clues (a task historian Erin Bush undertook for her Death in Diorama project), parsing the miniature blood stains and tiny knives for hints as to what happened in the house. Or you can simply appreciate the fascinatingly spooky detail behind every object inside.
Paired with these mysteries is the mystery of the nutshell studies’ creator — Francis Glessner Lee was an heiress who devoted her life to improving forensic science. As a product of her unusual “hobby,” there are two beneficiaries: those who practice forensic science, and the public that can enjoy the unusual art born of one woman’s obsession.
You can find this video and all of Vox's videos on YouTube. Subscribe for more episodes.
Will you support Vox’s explanatory journalism?
Most news outlets make their money through advertising or subscriptions. But when it comes to what we’re trying to do at Vox, there are a couple of big issues with relying on ads and subscriptions to keep the lights on:
First, advertising dollars go up and down with the economy. We often only know a few months out what our advertising revenue will be, which makes it hard to plan ahead.
Second, we’re not in the subscriptions business. Vox is here to help everyone understand the complex issues shaping the world — not just the people who can afford to pay for a subscription. We believe that’s an important part of building a more equal society. And we can’t do that if we have a paywall.
So even though advertising is still our biggest source of revenue, we also seek grants and reader support. (And no matter how our work is funded, we have strict guidelines on editorial independence.)
If you also believe that everyone deserves access to trusted high-quality information, will you make a gift to Vox today? Any amount helps.
Yes, I'll give $5/month
Yes, I'll give $5/month
We accept credit card, Apple Pay, and
Google Pay. You can also contribute via
