Artifacts from Pulse Nightclub to be Preserved Ahead of Demolition

ORLANDO, Fla. – As the city of Orlando moves forward in honoring the memory of the 49 lives lost in the tragic 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting, officials are set to begin the delicate process of clearing out the venue starting Monday. This initiative marks nearly a decade since the heartbreaking event.

The removal of items is part of a broader effort to prepare the site for demolition. These artifacts will be carefully preserved and evaluated for potential inclusion in a future permanent memorial, ensuring that the memories associated with them continue to resonate.

According to city representatives, Gomez Construction Company is scheduled to commence work on demolishing the Pulse nightclub and an adjacent vacant building in March or April of 2026. This step is crucial for paving the way for a lasting tribute to be constructed on the site.

The city has released an initial list of items slated for removal, though this inventory may be updated as the process unfolds:

• – 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 pendant 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 foot by 8 foot piece of the existing memorial fence

• Benches on existing memorial site

• Remembrance items left by family, friends and/or visitors

All preserved artifacts will be moved to an environmentally-controlled warehouse, according to the city, until determinations are made about their future use.

[MORE: Orlando city council to vote on Pulse memorial funding deal]

Visitors at the memorial said the changes are difficult.

“You have all those souls that were lost there. Let them rest in peace,” said Luis Laboy, who visited the site Sunday morning with his wife and grandson.

Laboy said it hurts to see the memorial altered and believes the building and its contents should remain untouched.

“If they’re going to leave the building as it is then they should leave what is as is,” Laboy said. “No one will ever step inside of it. It’s going to remain the way it is.”

He said the pain of losing loved ones to gun violence does not fade over time.

“So those that didn’t lose anyone here they’re feeling they can move on,” Laboy said. “For those that lost loved ones in this tragedy, it’s hard. You can never move forward after losing a loved one.”

The removal of artifacts comes months after the Florida Department of Transportation removed the rainbow crosswalk that had been installed as part of the memorial. The crosswalk remains black and white, and protesters later incorporated barricades left behind by FDOT into the memorial.

The city has posted temporary no-parking signs near the Pulse memorial during the removal process. Visitors are encouraged to find alternate parking and walk to the site.

[PULSE: Protesters released from jail after crosswalk arrest]