The first thing visitors see at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures' new exhibit is Bela Lugosi’s 1931 cape from “Dracula.” It hangs in a glass case, a relic of horror’s golden age, but the exhibit opening Saturday offers far more than vintage costumes. It is a comprehensive survey of horror’s evolution, from silent monsters to modern thrillers.
Titled The Horror Show, the exhibit features costumes, props, drawings, posters and artifacts pulled from decades of horror films. Among them is Aunt Gladys’ pantsuit from “Weapons,” a film that remains largely obscure. There are also familiar faces. Freddy Krueger’s glove from the “Nightmare on Elm Street” series, Michael Myers’s mask from “Halloween,” and Chucky’s doll from the “Child’s Play” franchise are on display.
The exhibit spans movie history, including titles from different eras and subgenres. “Many different types of films can be considered horror filmmaking, from vampires to slashers to thrillers,” said Amy Homma, the museum director. “Horror has its own filmic history, its own origins through literature, culture and art and its own lineage.”
Jessica Niebel, the exhibit’s curator, said the show asks a fundamental question. “Why do horror films mean so much to so many people?” she wrote in a statement. “Horror reflects the anxieties of its time, but it also gives us a safe space to confront those anxieties, to look at the things that frighten us and that we desire.”
The exhibit’s design divides into thematic chambers. Visitors can walk through rooms dedicated to slashers, religion, ghosts and science. Several interactive photo opportunities are available. There is a coffin, a chance to take a selfie with Mrs. Bates from “Psycho,” and an exit through an eerie blood room.
The museum has also prepared an accompanying exhibit called Zombies! that minimizes gore to appeal to younger visitors. It is intended as an easier entry into horror’s visual language.
In addition to the exhibit, the museum will screen a series of horror films. A highlight is a scheduled appearance by Jamie Lee Curtis and John Carpenter for a screening of “Halloween.” The museum announced a Carpenter retrospective that will run alongside the exhibit through July 25, 2027.
Robert Englund, who played Freddy Krueger in the “Nightmare on Elm Street” series, was among those invited to preview The Horror Show. He confirmed that visitors will be able to see his Freddy glove and other memorabilia from the films.
The exhibit also includes artifacts from less mainstream horror films. The title “Sinners,” released in 2019, is represented along with “Get Out,” “Midsommar,” and “The Babadook,” demonstrating the diversity of horror's recent landscape.
The exhibit’s opening coincides with a broader cultural moment. Horror films continue to attract audiences globally, with box office figures from recent years showing increasing interest. The museum’s decision to dedicate such a significant display signals the genre’s staying power.
The Horror Show will run until July 25, 2027. Visitors can expect a detailed look at horror’s history, its influence on popular culture, and its ongoing evolution. The exhibit’s combination of artifacts and interactive features aims to appeal to both lifelong fans and newcomers alike.
The museum’s approach underscores horror’s capacity to mirror societal fears while providing a controlled space for confrontation. As Jessica Niebel put it, horror offers a way to look at what scares us. The exhibit’s themes suggest that fear is as much about understanding ourselves as it is about monsters or ghosts.
In a time when horror films are more diverse and accessible than ever, the Academy Museum’s latest exhibit offers a detailed snapshot. It invites viewers to consider why horror persists and how it continues to evolve in tandem with our collective anxieties.
According to Variety.