castle halloween museum

My Friend sent the Halloween Queen an e-mail to set-up a day and time we could come out. They were very flexible. When I went, It was by donation. Me and my two friends got in the hearse and drove out for a day trip. We were properly greeted by the friendly owners. The museum tour was guided by the Halloween Queen with some history on the items displayed. There were new crafty items, vintage and antique. All were enjoyed. I was very impressed and can't wait to plan another trip. This is truly a must see no matter what your age. Please be sure your children are respectable to their Halloween collections.

..and virtually unknown by most travelers. The Halloween Queen and the Englishman have dedicated their lives to gathering the largest, and most eclectic collection of artifacts you will find anywhere. And they know their stuff! Plan to spend at least two hours minimum. The displays are overflowing with abundance and it is easy to miss things the first go-round.Somewhat isolated, it seems out of place in this small mining community, and I wish it had a more central location to increase visitation and community involvement for volunteers and fund-raising.As a museum curator, my only regret is the state of the environment housing these wonderful and unique items. I would encourage the owners to file as a non-profit organization in order to qualify for grants to repair the roof, upgrade HVAC, light control, expansion of exhibit space and enclosed cabinets, and a staff for cleaning and maintenance. The gift shop is great!

I recently went back to Wheeling WV to the Halloween Museum and it is even better then it was the time before. I was greeted by the resident cat and off we went to see the new items. They now have an area for their collection of beer bottles with a Halloween theme and you can't imagine how many different Brewery's put out Halloween beer. The owners are full of knowledge about the holiday and everything that surrounds it. They have wonderful hair wreaths and decorations. I ended up spending 5 hours wandering around and will go back soon. I learned about the voodoo flags and a ton of other items.

If you are a Halloween aficionado, you will definitely enjoy your time there. The "Halloween Queen" gave us a tour that lasted 90 minutes. She has an incredible memento mori collection, hundreds of vintage Halloween costumes, and an amazing array of folk art. It is a bit "rustic," but that only adds to the Halloween ambiance. I would not recommend the museum for children as there are many delicate, valuable and irreplaceable pieces. It is an easy day trip from Pittsburgh and a great drive in the fall. And don't forget to stop at the gift shop, which is a museum in itself and will allow you to add a unique piece to your collection. This is a piece of Roadside Americana! Happy Haunting!

This is very near Wheeling, but confirm directions with the owners. It's off the beaten track, with little signage except in the front of the building itself. Nevertheless, it's very easy to find. Tours are by appointment only and I don't know if they accept credit/debit cards; you'll need to ask in advance. This is a private collection of more than 40,000 items that provides a social history of this extremely popular American holiday; it is not displayed in a typical museum building or format. As it is located in the basement of an old school building, discuss with the owner when arranging the tour any health and/or walking issues. Give yourself time while visiting; if you rush this you will miss many, many things. You are also welcome to take pictures. The personal tour is 1 1/2 hours, and you will have time to review the items on your own afterwards. Check the website for more information. Especially interesting were the crepe paper costumes and how retailers "jumped on the bandwagon," so to speak, and used Halloween to promote their own products. If you are not native to America and/or don't understand the concept of Halloween, be sure to ask the owners for a brief review before you start the tour; otherwise it will be very difficult to appreciate or understand all the materials/items you will be viewing. Ditto for the Victorian Age and especially for the Day of the Dead celebrations--the more you are familiar with these things, the richer will be your experience.

Three of us went to Castle Halloween in WV and had a fabulous time. The owners take you on a tour of Halloween like no other. This isn't a haunted castle and there is no blood and guts. It tells the story of Halloween traditions. There are areas for Harry Potter & Nightmare Before Christmas, One room teaches the traditions of death . There are costumes and ornaments on display as well as early advertising using Halloween. You can tell the owners if there are any things you want to dwell on and they are helpful. John Burns, Voodoo flags and fortune telling all have their areas. This is housed in an old school auditorium. If it has a weakness it is the gift shop doesn't have a lot to sell but if you are taking children this is also a charm. This is open by appointment so call ahead.