Nightmares Await You at This Museum in Salem, Massachusetts

When you think of Salem, MA, you most likely think about the Salem Witch Trials. Yes, there are many museums that you can visit in Salem like the Salem Witch Museum, the Witch House, and the New England Pirate Museum, but there is one museum that is very unique.

If you are a fan of horror movies, then this museum is definitely for you. I will tell you, I have been to this museum many times, but even the first time I went I could not move from one spot for about 5 minutes due to me being too afraid to see what was around the corner.

The museum is called Count Orlok's Nightmare Gallery, and it may actually leave you with nightmares. Learn the backstory of some of your favorite horror movies from the classic monsters to slashers to all things supernatural.

Count Orlok's Nightmare Gallery is a wax museum that a couple of years ago relocated to 217 Essex St. When you enter you will feel fully immersed in the horror movie experience. Trust me, even if you are a horror movie fan, you will most likely not know all of the wax characters that you will see.

What's really cool about this museum is that they have a movie theater in an old bank vault. That's right you can sit down next to (the exorcist) and relax to watch some classic black and white horror films.

You will run into horror every turn that you take in this museum. However, it becomes even more horror-filled in the Fall.

During the Fall months, the museum becomes even more of an experience as it turns into a haunted house. You read that right, the museum stays the same except there are scare actors hiding throughout the museum ready to give you a good jump scare.

Also in the Fall, the museum brings in some of your favorite horror actors, like Kane Hodder who is known for playing Jason Voorhees, for a meet and greet.

If you are used to museums with bright lights, let me be the first to tell you, that you will not have much lighting here which adds to the nightmare aesthetic.

All in all, Count Orlok's Nightmare Gallery is a fun time and a great place to discover some horror movies you may have not known about.

14 Unique Museums in Massachusetts You May Not Know About

When you think of a museum, what do you think of? Maybe you imagine walls full of art or a giant T-rex skeleton at the entrance. But here in Massachusetts, we do museums a little different. While we do have your typical museums, we are also home to quite a few unique and sometimes a little off-the-wall museums that challenge the way we think about art, science, and what we hold dear. Take a look at 14 of the most unique – and treasured – museums in Massachusetts, and let us know which one you want to visit first!