I've been a huge fan of the House of Frankenstein Wax Museum since the very first time I visited as…read morea young child, and one of the coolest things for me now is getting to share that tradition with my son. We visit Lake George at least once a year, and House of Frankenstein is almost always our first stop!
This place has been creeping people out since 1974, and I love that they've continued to add to and evolve the museum while still keeping so much of its old-school charm.
The classic scenes and wax figures are inspired by legendary horror and literary works from Mary Shelley, Edgar Allan Poe, Robert Louis Stevenson and Victor Hugo. You'll encounter everything from Dr. Frankenstein's laboratory and The Raven to scenes inspired by The Phantom of the Opera and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Over the years, they've also brought in more modern horror icons, including Freddy Krueger, Chucky, Jason Voorhees and Michael Myers.
After paying admission, you head upstairs to begin your journey. First warning: IT IS VERY DARK! Give your eyes a minute to adjust before charging ahead.
You make your way through dark, narrow hallways, stopping at individual scenes that are mostly viewed through windows into small rooms. Many are animated, and you'll press an illuminated button to bring the scene to life. Considering some of these wax figures and displays have been around for decades, they've held up remarkably well.
My biggest advice: TAKE YOUR TIME!
It's a self-guided attraction, and if another group is right behind you, just let them pass. If you race through without stopping to really look at the scenes--or pressing some of those buttons more than once--you could probably be finished in 10 minutes. That completely misses the point. Part of the fun is soaking up all the wonderfully creepy little details.
Don't expect a modern haunted house filled with actors jumping out at you. There aren't really any major jump scares and there are no haunt actors. House of Frankenstein is much more about atmosphere, and it absolutely nails that creepy, old-school horror vibe.
There's also a historical and true-crime section featuring the Salem Witch Trials and Jack the Ripper, along with several torture chamber scenes and some surprisingly realistic executions. Definitely not Disney World!
One of the coolest additions in recent years is a swamp area where you actually walk across a soft, spongy floor while some very creepy creatures lurk on both sides of you. It's a great effect and adds a completely different feel to that section of the museum.
One of our longtime favorites comes near the end: the classic black hole/vortex tunnel. No matter how many times I've walked through it, it still manages to mess with my head!
They've also added a sci-fi mirror maze and a seriously creepy Chamber of Horrors filled with people hanging upside down inside clear body bags. They're motion activated, so just when you think you're safely walking past them...they start shaking as loud noises erupt around you. Delightfully disturbing!
Assuming you're lucky enough to survive everything inside, you eventually make your way back into the lobby. Don't rush out the door, because there are some great animatronics here too, including a talking crow and a skeleton lying inside a casket.
And here's one final creepy bit of House of Frankenstein lore: the building itself is said to actually be haunted. Over the years, employees have reportedly told stories of seeing a female apparition walking through the building before suddenly disappearing. Others have claimed to hear footsteps going up and down the stairs after the museum has closed and all the guests are gone, along with mysterious shadowy figures roaming the hallways.
Is House of Frankenstein really haunted? Who knows.
But considering how many years I've been coming here, I'm perfectly happy NOT being the one who gets locked inside overnight to find out!
House of Frankenstein is a wonderfully weird, creepy and nostalgic piece of Lake George history. It may not have the high-tech scares of a modern haunted attraction, but that's exactly why we love it. There's something special about experiencing an attraction I loved as a kid and now getting to watch my son enjoy it too.
If you're visiting Lake George while House of Frankenstein is open for the season, make it a stop--and take your time inside.
You never know. You might experience a little more than you bargained for.
