Tourists' interest in places associated with death and tragedy may also be related to educational goals [9]. Curiosity and the need to learn and understand are entwined. Dark tourism develops curiosity and satisfies the desire for knowledge of past suffering and pain [26].

The primary academic theory surrounding dark tourism (or "thanatourism") is the "Dark Tourism Spectrum" developed by Dr. Philip Stone. This theory categorizes sites based on their "intensity" of darkness, ranging from "Lightest" (e.g., Dracula-themed entertainment or fictionalized ghost tours) to "Darkest" (e.g., sites of mass death like Auschwitz or the Hiroshima Peace Memorial). The theory suggests that travelers visit these sites to engage with their own mortality in a "commodified" or safe environment, a concept known as "Memento Mori." Another key framework is "Dissonant Heritage," which explores how sites of tragedy are interpreted differently by different groups—for example, a site that represents "victory" for one nation may represent "atrocity" for another. In 2026, research also focuses on "Cyber-Dark Tourism," examining how virtual reality and digital archives allow people to "visit" tragic locations without being physically present.