Pop-up Epstein Files museum opens in New York
While most museums host mind-blowing pieces of art, a new museum pop-up in Tribeca is taking a different tack: a reading room dedicated to the Jeffrey Epstein files is now open to the public.
Though interested parties have to RSVP for the exact address, the by-appointment-only pop-up invites the general public to get their hands on all 3.5 million pages of records related to the late paedophile, Epstein.
Beyond the endless paper collection, the reading room will also include a timeline of Epstein and Donald Trump’s relationship, pertinently held in the Donald J Trump and Jeffrey Epstein Memorial Reading Room.
From May 8th to May 21st, the nondescript New York gallery will host 3,437 volumes consisting of 17,000 pounds of files.
The startling exhibition has been organised by the Institute for Primary Facts, a nonprofit intended to promote transparency and accountability in the US government.
As per Wired, David Garrett, the main organiser, explained, “The evidence in this room is evidence of one of the most horrific crimes in American history.”
He added, “When people come through this room, I hope they realize that in America, we have the rule of law, and if they stand up, they can take action and demand accountability for the crimes that were committed.”
Around the room, candles are laid out on the ground to represent the more than 1,200 victims.
Though members of the public are encouraged to see the enormity of Epstein’s vile acts first-hand, only journalists and members of law enforcement are permitted to read through the files.
This seems to undermine the purpose of the exhibition. However, Garrett has explained that it is down to a failure on the Department of Justice’s part, as they didn’t redact many survivors’ names in a new release of files in January.
Garrett insisted, “Transparency and accountability is important, but from the very beginning, we’ve centered this project around the victims and survivors.”