About the Exhibition

Just in time for Halloween 2026, the Academy Museum will unveil The Horror Show, a bold and immersive exhibition that bridges the gap between cinema and experience, honoring horror’s enormous cultural impact and enduring popularity.

On view from September 20, 2026, to July 25, 2027, The Horror Show will explore and celebrate horror cinema, highlighting select tropes and themes, all centered around the question: Why do horror films matter so deeply to so many?

Blurring the line between museum presentation and eerie spectacle, The Horror Show will take visitors on a journey through cinema, starting with an introductory gallery sound installation, into “The Hallway” — modeled after the common horror trope — that will lead to six distinctly themed galleries: Gothic, Psychological, Science, Slasher, Religion, and Ghosts. Each gallery is designed to invite visitors into iconic settings, where they will encounter their favorite creatures, monsters, and objects.

The exhibition will explore representations of identity, sexuality, and ability in horror films including: Alien (1979), A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), Black Swan (2010), Dracula (1931), Frankenstein (1931), Get Out (2017), Halloween (1978), Ju-on (1998), Midsommar (2019), Misery (1990), Poltergeist (1982), Ringu (1998), The Blair Witch Project (1999), The Exorcist (1973), The Shining (1980), The Silence of the Lambs (1991) and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) — while also offering a behind-the-scenes look at the storytelling and production processes of these films.

While the exhibition will be designed for horror fans of all ages, parental guidance is suggested for younger visitors.

The Horror Show is organized by Senior Exhibitions Curator Jessica Niebel with Assistant Curator Nicholas Barlow and Curatorial Assistant Alexandra James Salichs.