The Black Museum

The Pair of Spectacles

English · Radio

The Black Museum is a crime anthology presented by Orson Welles, who introduces each story from the perspective of a curator examining an object associated with a real criminal case. The objects—ordinary things such as a pair of spectacles—serve as unsettling links between everyday life and acts of violence.

Welles’s introductions frame dramatized accounts of crimes and investigations, drawing listeners into the circumstances surrounding each artifact. The program combines narration with acted scenes and sound effects, shifting between the museum’s quiet, reflective atmosphere and the tension of the events being recounted.

The result is a measured, atmospheric blend of true-crime storytelling and radio drama. Welles’s distinctive voice gives the series a dark, composed tone, while the focus on a single object makes each story feel like a close examination of a troubling piece of evidence.

This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.