City ‘carefully removes select artifacts’ from Pulse nightclub ahead of memorial construction
By Justin Schecker & Dacia Johnson
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ORLANDO (WESH) — The City of Orlando on Monday began to “carefully remove select artifacts” from Pulse nightclub as it works toward creating a permanent memorial at the site of the 2016 massacre that left 49 people dead.
Items being removed include the “chandeliers, bar top, posters and other interior items that have been carefully prepackaged inside of the building,” the city said.
“These items will then be transported to an environmentally controlled warehouse. While we have not finalized if these artifacts will be a part of the permanent memorial, we want to ensure their preservation during the design and construction phase,” the city said in a news release.
Full list:
– Two chandeliers
– Signage and posters
– Ornamental framed mirror
– Bar top
– Track lighting, including track
– Cash register
– Primary section of breach wall
– Portion of the sunburst wall inside the club
– Portion of the “Glitter” wall inside the club
– Wood floor (as much as possible)
– Rectangular ceiling pendent lights
– iPad
– The numbers on the outside of the building
– tiles from the outside patio bar
Additionally, some items that were part of the temporary memorial will be removed and preserved:
– An approximately 4’x8’ piece of the existing memorial fence
– Benches on existing memorial site
– Remembrance items left by family, friends and/or visitors
The city will begin the next phase of construction after the items are removed, which will include the removal of the Pulse sign and clearing the site.
Estimated timeline for construction:
February 2026: 30% design plans
March/April 2026: Site clearing begins
May 2026: 60% design plans
Early fall 2026: start of construction
Late 2027: Construction completed
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