Horror isn’t just for Halloween at Moyse’s Hall

Horror is not just for Halloween in West Suffolk where visitors will have plenty to sink their teeth into at a new exhibition that opens this weekend.

“Things that go bump” which opens at Moyse’s Hall Museum, will celebrate the evolution of scary stories, from prehistoric cave paintings through to cinema and television series.

It’s a spooky hijacking of the museum’s usual Sci-fi and Action exhibition with movie props and legacy collectables all on display.

The displays themselves are designed to be spooky and appeal to a mix of ages. There’s no jump scares, terror or gore.

Come and take a selfie with Slimer from Ghostbusters.

Get ready for Freddy mania with an eye-catching display from A Nightmare on Elm Street, including 80s memorabilia which took the character from screen menace to children’s toys and games.

Michael Myers will be making an entrance with merchandise from 1978’s Halloween including his classic blade signed by the original scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis.

There will be signed pieces from film directors Wes Craven and John Carpenter, vintage posters and videos from the 70s and 80s and 90s, and rare items from the Disney classic A Nightmare Before Christmas.

The exhibition will feature some of the toys and games that were created around some of the franchises.

Things that go bump will also look at how horror characters have been incorporated into children’s television including the Count from Sesame Street and Count Duckula.

They’re not the only creatures of the night, however.

There will be vampires everywhere with cult classic, The Lost Boys complete with a full-scale bust of David signed by Kiefer Sutherland as well as screen used vampire teeth from the TV series True Blood.

For those who like their vampires a little bit longer in the tooth, there’s an early copy of Bram Stokers Dracula as well as items from Francis Ford Coppola’s 1992 film of the same name.

Entry to Things that go bump also includes access to two other exhibitions also taking place at Moyse’s Hall:

Crime and punishment looks at real history including the witchcraft trials in Bury St Edmunds which saw people hanged in the town and heavily influenced the subsequent Salem Witch Trials 30 years later in the United States.

Edmund and the Great Heathen Army looks at the life, death, myth and martyrdom of England’s first patron saint.

Cllr Ian Shipp, Cabinet Member for Leisure and Culture at West Suffolk Council, said: “People have, over hundreds and thousands of years, enjoyed telling stories designed to scare each other. Many of the original children’s fairy tales were dark and scary with moral warnings to be passed down the ages. A great many things displayed at Moyse’s throughout the year demonstrate that horror isn’t just in fiction but is in the gruesome culture and attitudes of real-life history.

“Things that go bump will look at how scary stories are embedded in our modern culture and will bring many of the items associated with some of the horror films, tv series together. It’s a great chance for horror fans to see screen pieces from their favourite franchises. We look forward to welcoming visitors from West Suffolk and beyond - we promise we won’t bite.”

The exhibition has been supported, in part, by The Movie Reliquary, a company that specialise in authentic screen-used props from iconic films and TV shows.

Matthew Doe, owner of The Movie Reliquary, said: “We are incredibly proud to continue our longstanding relationship with West Suffolk Council and Moyse’s Hall Museum. Through The Movie Reliquary, we are pleased to loan original pieces from film and television productions, including Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire and the hit television series True Blood. We are passionate about preserving the history of film and television and making these unique pieces accessible for everyone to enjoy. It is a real pleasure to support a museum that shares our enthusiasm for bringing history and entertainment to life, and we look forward to continuing our support for many years to come.”

Things that go bump will run from this Saturday (24 October) to Sunday 21 February 2027.

For tickets visit Moyse's Hall Museum website.