Pittsburgh's The Living Dead Museum is a must-see for horror fans

A Dawn of the Dead zombie showcased in The Living Dead Museum

Even though I'm a Pennsylvania resident, I don't visit the Pittsburgh area that frequently, namely because I live on the opposite side of the state, in much closer proximity to Philadelphia. However, after nearly a decade, I returned to Pittsburgh for a conference and ensured that this time, I'd bask in some of the city's horror history and all things George A. Romero, specifically The Living Dead Museum in the Monroeville Mall, the filming location of Dawn of the Dead.

I have a personal connection to Romero. My dad loved Night of the Living Dead, and he was essentially my gateway into horror. Over the years, I've written a lot about Romero's work and zombies more broadly. Personal interest aside, I truly believe The Living Dead Museum is a worth a trip for anyone able to make the trek, especially since the mall will be demolished in the coming years by Walmart to make room for more retail and public space. The museum will likely relocate to another Romero-centric local area but seeing it in the filming location of Dawn of the Dead is extra special. Here's why The Living Dead Museum is worth a visit.

The Living Dead Museum is small but mighty

The museum doesn't occupy a terribly large space within the mall, and currently, it's only open from Friday-Sunday. That said, there's a lot to see and an affordable admission price of only $10. The museum features several props from Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, and Day of the Dead. The museum also preserves the history of Romero's work, including production information about his zombie movies, reaction to them, and their legacy. There's a lot to take in, though not so much that it feels overwhelming.

The museum also showcases the mall's storied history, which is linked to Dawn of the Dead's production, since the mall opened around the time of filming. It feels like a time capsule seeing the escalators and wardrobes from the 1970s that were used and featured in Dawn of the Dead. The museum preserved some of them, and it's a glimpse into what the mall looked like nearly 50 years ago.

The Living Dead Museum features props from other horror movies

Besides zombies galore, The Living Dead Museum features cool props and costumes from other horror movies. This includes pieces of the cabin from Evil Dead 2, props from my Bloody Valentine, and items from other Romero movies, including The Crazies. Beyond that, the museum showcases the influence of Romero's work on the horror genre more broadly, so there's more for horror fans to see and appreciate than items preserved from Dawn of the Dead.

The Living Dead Museum is near several Romero filming locations

Besides the actual Monroeville Mall, there are plenty of other filming locations to see, all within fairly close proximity to The Living Dead Museum. The Creepshow house is only about 15 minutes from the mall. Additionally, the Evans City Cemetery, where the famous opening scene of Night of the Living Dead was shot, is only about 30 minutes north of Pittsburgh. Meanwhile, the George A. Romero Archival Collection is housed at the University of Pittsburgh. For horror fans looking for more to do and see besides the museum, there's plenty to explore. In fact, VisitPA has a handy list of all the filming locations that make it easy to map out a trip.

The Living Dead Museum's time at the Monroeville Mall will expire

As already stated, the Monroeville Mall is set for demolition within the next few years. The museum will move, but there's something really special about visiting it at the actual location where Dawn of the Dead was filmed. You can feel the weight of horror history and better understand the production stories. It's also a lot more fun to watch the movie after seeing the mall. See the history while the history is still there to be seen before the bulldozers unfortunately arrive.

For more information about The Living Dead Museum, visit their website. Furthermore, The Living Dead Weekend will be held at the mall from June 12-14, and it will feature dozens of guests, including Tom Savini, Ken Foree (Dawn of the Dead), Gaylen Ross (Dawn of the Dead), and many others.

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