The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures has unveiled a new exhibition titled “The Horror Show,” running through July 25, 2027, that explores over a century of horror cinema. The exhibit presents a wide-ranging survey of the genre’s evolution, showcasing key films from silent-era classics like “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” (1920) and “Nosferatu” (1922) to more recent works such as “Midsommar” (2019) and “Weapons” (2025).
Historically overlooked by the Academy Awards—only “The Silence of the Lambs” (1991) has won Best Picture—horror has struggled to gain mainstream respect in Hollywood. Robert Englund, known for his role as Freddy Krueger in the “Nightmare on Elm Street” series, highlighted at a press preview how the genre was once marginalized within the industry. Englund noted the exhibition as a sign of growing acknowledgment and respect for horror films in Hollywood.
Rather than offering a straightforward chronological display, the exhibit is structured into six thematic chambers that delve into different facets of horror: Gothic horror, psychological horror, science horror, slashers, religious horror, and ghost stories. These immersive environments, including settings like crypts and haunted houses, aim to evoke the emotional response synonymous with horror movies, according to senior exhibitions curator Jessica Niebel. The exhibit balances traditional museum presentation with elements of a haunted-house experience, featuring original costumes, props, prosthetics, and production art contributed by the academy and 62 private lenders.
Highlights include Bela Lugosi’s original Dracula cape, worn in Universal’s 1931 “Dracula,” now appearing in public for the first time following an extensive restoration. The exhibit also displays the costume worn by Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter in “The Silence of the Lambs,” including the iconic prison uniform, straitjacket, and muzzle designed to convey a disturbing stillness despite significant physical restraint.
Science fiction horror is represented through H.R. Giger’s artwork and original props from Ridley Scott’s “Alien” (1979), accompanied by a large-scale Xenomorph model from “Alien: Romulus” (2024). Gothic horror is further explored through Gary Oldman’s Vlad the Impaler battle armor from Francis Ford Coppola’s “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” (1992), designed by Oscar-winning costume artist Eiko Ishioka.
Other notable elements include the original “Blair Witch Project” promotional website from 1998 displayed on a vintage computer, costumes from iconic slashers such as Freddy Krueger and Michael Myers, and a prop of the pop-up “Mister Babadook” book from Jennifer Kent’s 2014 film. Due to concerns about fragility, the original mummified head of Norma Bates from Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho” (1960) was unavailable; instead, the museum commissioned Oscar-winning makeup artist Mike Hill to create a full-body reproduction for visitors to view and photograph.
The exhibition also features a bust of Monstro Elisasue, the grotesque creature from Coralie Fargeat’s 2024 film “The Substance,” alongside medical paraphernalia from the storyline, representing the use of body horror as a metaphor for societal pressures on women's bodies.
Visitors conclude their journey through an immersive “Blood Room,” designed by special effects artist Howard Berger, featuring realistic layers of fake blood on the walls and ending with a dramatic exit through bloody butcher curtains. The museum recommends parental guidance due to the exhibition’s intense visuals, and offers a separate family-friendly “Zombies!” exhibit nearby.