National Science And Media Museum Marks Halloween With First Look At Horror Film Favourites In New Galleries

To mark Halloween, the National Science and Media Museum has revealed the latest design along with some of the iconic objects that will be found in Behind the Screams, a feature in its new permanent Sound and Vision galleries, which delves into the shock and thrills of some of the most iconic horror films.  

As part of the museum’s new Sound and Vision galleries opening in 2025 thanks to support from National Lottery players via The National Lottery Heritage Fund, visitors will be taken on a journey behind the scenes of some of the most watched horror films and thrillers, finding out why we love to be scared, and the creative techniques used to push the boundaries in film and gaming.  

A key moment in the exhibit will tell the story of Hammer Films, which launched their series of Gothic horror films in the 1950s, challenging standards and creating now-classic representations of characters like Dracula. Visitors will be able to see first-hand the original Dracula’s Fangs designed for and worn by Christopher Lee in the 1958 Dracula. The fangs include a ‘blood’ reservoir designed so Lee could press it against his palate with his tongue so ‘blood’ ran through the tub, dripping down the fangs. To bring the tiny object to life, the fangs will be displayed amongst a pool of ‘blood’ which was suggested by the museum’s Youth Forum, a panel of young people from across Bradford district being consulted on the new galleries. Visitors will also be able to get up close to other terrifying creatures like Alien, with the Alien head and torso used in the film franchise on display.  

Behind the Screams will also delve into how creatives and artists like legends Roy Ashton and Phil Leakey use innovative techniques to evoke emotional responses from audiences through special effects make-up and sound technologies. The museum collaborated with Bradford College media makeup and special effects students who recreated iconic Hammer Film characters which will feature in a new film in the galleries. Visitors will also be able to have a go at bringing a film to life just like a Foley artist by using wooden machines to recreate horror film sound effects like footsteps or a door creaking.  

The museum’s new Sound and Vision galleries will open in summer 2025, showcasing the museum’s world-class collections of photography, film, television, gaming and sound and image technologies. But horror film fans don’t have to wait until then as the museum’s Pictureville Cinema is screening a special season of women in horror called Fatal Femmes for Halloween. The season includes a special Halloween night double bill of Suspiria on 35mm and the new 4k restoration of the Stephen King adaptation, Carrie.  

The National Science and Media Museum will reopen to the public in January 2025, following an 18-month temporary closure to undergo a once-in-a-generation transformation through its ‘Sound and Vision’ project, which includes two new permanent galleries, the creation of an additional passenger lift, and improvements to the main entrance.  

The Sound and Vision Project is a £6m capital investment, and in addition to funding received from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the project also has support from the DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund 2022–24, Bradford Council and the Science Museum Group, which the National Science and Media Museum is a part of.  

For more information about the Sound and Vision project, please visit: https://www.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk/about-us/sound-and-vision-project  

For film times and to book tickets to Fatal Femmes, please visit: https://www.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk/cinema/fatal-femmes