The Winchester Mystery House is an architectural wonder with a history to match. It’s become so iconic, especially among horror fans, that it inspired a movie in 2018 and remains a top tourist destination. So much so that it’s no surprise that the Winchester Mystery House finds new ways to embrace the Halloween season. This year, the Winchester Mystery House brings All Hallows’ Eve, an all-new estate-wide Halloween event with both indoor and outdoor tours kicking off on Friday, September 10th. Tickets are on sale.
The landmark originates from Sarah Lockwood Pardee Winchester, who inherited a substantial sum after the death of her husband, firearms magnate William Wirt Winchester. Shortly after he died in 1881, Sarah relocated from Connecticut to San Jose, California, and began a continuous renovation on an eight-room farmhouse. From 1886 until her death in 1922, Sarah expanded the property and transformed it into a sprawling mansion. Doors to the estate opened to the public in 1923, beginning its enduring legacy as one of the country’s most haunted places.
Winchester (2018)
It’s not just the house itself that earns the “Mystery” distinction, but the reason why Sarah built it out with so many dead ends, secret passages, and other architectural oddities. Why did Sarah close herself off from the world and build such a peculiar house? The lingering rumors that Sarah felt haunted by the ghosts of those that died at the hands of Winchester firearms served as the basis for the Helen Mirren starring Winchester horror movie. The other prominent theories are that Sarah was prompted by a psychic to build or that she was simply eccentric.
While these questions remain unanswered, it’s fitting that the Winchester Mystery House continues Sarah’s legacy by creating new doors and rooms, at least metaphorically speaking. The All Hallows’ Eve event features three significant activations for all ages, including a brand new indoor haunted tour, estate wide lighted Jack O’ Lantern Trail, and a projection-mapped light show on the front of the iconic mansion.
Haunt fans can get Lost in the House on a brand-new nighttime tour. Families and younger fans can take the Jack O’Lantern Trail and be entranced by the hand-carved displays throughout the Victorian Gardens. All ages can enjoy the immersive Lost in The House Light Show, a projection-mapped light show that uses the iconic front of the mansion as a canvas.
“Winchester Mystery House is a must-visit destination, especially as summer gives way to fall,” said Walter Magnuson, Winchester Mystery House General Manager. “The Lost in The House Tour takes its cue from the many revealing paranormal investigations we’ve hosted, going back all the way to Houdini’s historic visit in 1924. After the tour, our guests will be able to experience the illuminated Victorian Gardens in an all-new festive way that is sure to fill you and your family up with Halloween spirit!”
The Lost in the House tour is a brand-new theatrical paranormal investigative adventure themed around a story of paranormal investigators exploring the house at the very same time as guests. Older haunt fans can expect things to get spooky, with the house seeming to play tricks the further into its depths you go.
Fall-themed food and spirits, as well as Axe Throwing at the Stables, Sarah’s Attic Shooting Gallery, and the all-new Houdini’s Spirited Escape, will be available for an additional fee. The Winchester Mystery House will also be offering daytime guided mansion and garden tours throughout September and October, complimented with autumn décor around the estate, making it the place to celebrate Halloween this fall.
For nearly a century, the Winchester Mystery House has intrigued more than 13 million people from around the world as they tour the estate and explore its dark hallways, ornate rooms, and strange passages. It’s a destination in and of itself, but the house becomes even more of a must-see destination thanks to new Halloween season experiences.
All Hallows’ Eve starts September 10th and runs on select nights through October 31st. Tickets are available now at winchestermysteryhouse.com/all-hallows-eve.