LA Museum Unveils Terrifying New Horror Film Exhibition

Los Angeles’ Academy Museum of Motion Pictures has opened a new exhibition titled “The Horror Show,” which delves into the history and impact of horror cinema. The exhibit, which launched last Saturday, showcases 396 objects from 167 films, spanning nearly a century of the genre.

The exhibition is divided into six thematic galleries: gothic, psychological, science, religion, ghosts, and slashers. Each section highlights key artifacts and imagery from influential horror titles.

The gothic gallery features items from vampire classics, including a cape from the 1931 film Dracula and costumes worn by Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt in Interview with the Vampire (1994). Modern additions include a blood-soaked dress worn by Hailee Steinfeld in Sinners (2025).

Within the psychological gallery, visitors can find original storyboards from Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960), Jack Torrance’s costume and ax from The Shining (1980), and the chair from Jordan Peele’s Get Out (2017). Actor Willem Dafoe, who has starred in numerous horror films and served on the exhibition’s advisory team, noted that the genre “has all the same possibilities for originality, inventiveness, and freedom that it did in its infancy.”

The slasher gallery displays masks from iconic characters such as Freddy Krueger, Michael Myers, Ghostface, and Art the Clown. The science gallery focuses on special effects, featuring prosthetics, creature designs, and makeup concepts, including a mask from The Substance (2024).

The religion gallery explores themes of the witch, with artifacts from films like Suspiria (2018) and Weapons (2025), alongside historical documents from the Salem witch trials.

The ghost gallery immerses visitors in a haunted living room setting, displaying items from films such as The Conjuring (2013), The Monkey (2025), and Poltergeist (1982).

Senior Exhibitions Curator Jessica Niebel stated in a press release that “The Horror Show” is an exploration of horror’s “emotional, cultural, and symbolic power and examines why horror matters so deeply to many different types of communities.” She added, “We are excited to celebrate the daring creativity of horror cinema with devoted fans and curious newcomers alike, inviting audiences to confront what frightens us.”

The exhibition is located at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, 6067 Wilshire Blvd., and will run through July 2027. Admission to the exhibit is included with museum entry, which costs $25 for adults, $19 for seniors 62 and older, and $15 for students with ID. The museum advises parental guidance for the exhibit due to its potentially mature themes.