# HALLOWEEN PARTY 2015 - A NIGHTmare AT THE MUSEUM (themed)



## Surfbeatnik (Jul 23, 2013)

Hi Everyone,

We are in the midst of planning out the props and effects for our 15th Annual Halloween Party. For the last 2 years, we had a haunted hotel themed party, with a "steam-punk" infusion for 2014. This year, we are changing it out for an "UnNatural History Museum" theme along the lines of the Ben Stiller films, combined with Raiders of the Lost Ark, the cable show Oddities, etc. One of my friends already has dibs on coming to the party as Teddy Roosevelt.

Looking for some ideas if you have 'em to share. Decor, Props, Gags, Games, Foods... We appreciate any and all suggestions and experiences that you may have!


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## Surfbeatnik (Jul 23, 2013)

I forgot to post this photo of one of the best costumes from our Steampunk Themed Haunted Hotel party of 2014...


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## Hilda (Jul 31, 2011)

What a fun and unique theme! I loved your haunted hotel thread. I'm following!


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## dawnski (Jun 16, 2012)

I love this idea! Are you planning to set up some kind of diorama for each room? Perhaps Mayan and Egyptian rooms, Cabinet of curiosities. Your best bet is to check out some museum websites for their exhibits. http://www.si.edu/ http://www.britishmuseum.org/

It would be cool if you could take skeletons and make your own kind of Body Worlds exhibit http://www.bodyworlds.com/en/exhibitions/current_exhibitions.html


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## offmymeds (May 26, 2010)

Sounds like a great theme and so many possibilities! following along


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## Ghost of Spookie (Sep 28, 2008)

Sounds like a fun theme idea! 

DOLLAR TREE has a number of dinosaurs and jungle animal hard, rubbery/plastic figurines in the Toy Dept. if you need any for a place holder or maybe a costume award trophy.

Large Plastic Toy Dinosaurs

Plastic Toy Dinosaurs

Plastic Jungle Animal Figurines

Last time I was in my local HARBOR FREIGHT they still had these wooden cutout dinosaur skeleton kits. Several different models, not expensive. They were in their kind of limited kids/toy area. Those might look nice on a table or buffet area. .....Here found a few links to a few of the balsa wood dinos on their website AND THEY ARE ON SALE FOR 1.39 right now:

Apatoaurus

T-Rex

I bought a few of these a while back. My store had I think 5-6 different dinos. I remember a Triceratops and a Stegosaurus. Not sure what else they had. They come in a flat package similar in size to a movie DVD you'd find in the stores. I probably bought my set back in the spring or summer last year so their stock might be getting low and once sold out probably won't restock. Easy enough to hit them with some white/bone colored paint and/or age them.


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## scareme (Jan 18, 2009)

Start hitting the thrift store and picking up glass containers to hold specimens in. It would be great if they had lids, but you will find a lot that don't. You can use to ones with lids for the liquid stuff. I picked up some of those add water and they grow, brains from Dollar Tree. They looked great in a specimen jar with a little red food coloring in the water. Something that looks cool it gnarled roots driftwood. Pick up a couple fist sized ones, put them in a jar, and people don't recognize what the are. But you are going to need a lot of jars so start looking now.


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## matrixmom (Oct 29, 2010)

Or like scareme said for the jars, just save spaghetti sauce jars, pickle jars, mayo jars etc.....from your own pantry.


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## matrixmom (Oct 29, 2010)

Do you have more pics of 2014??? We would love to see....


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## pumpkinpie (Jul 9, 2011)

You could do a room/wall of pictures with name plates and all and include these so some appear to have come alive



http://atmosfx.com/products/detail/unliving-portraits

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aTrYOqQGcU&app=desktop


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## pumpkinpie (Jul 9, 2011)

You could do a statue exhibit using maniquins (with heads) or busts and have a projector set up doing the "singing ghosts" routine (u could even use duct tape to make body forms for the statues if u can't get maniquins. ..and if u want a head on the statue just use a wig form).


https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...0LtH9pLWFXah5j5Pg&sig2=BksAhQwCyTR_BkydRv3McA


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## pumpkinpie (Jul 9, 2011)

And my last idea, Dinosaur exhibit...make the Dino footprint out of great stuff foam (see link) and paint it brown to resemble dirt. Place two or three in your front yard and have a roaring Dino audio playing...as if the Dino has escaped the museum



http://davelowe.blogspot.com/2011/12/sign-of-abominable-snowmen-part-three.html?m=1

http://davelowe.blogspot.com/2011_12_01_archive.html?m=1


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## pumpkinpie (Jul 9, 2011)

Here's some pics of the print, just outline the dinosaur foot shape with great stuff foam and paint to look like soil


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## Ghost of Spookie (Sep 28, 2008)

Oh crap Pumpkinpie, not a DaveLowe creation! I love his stuff. Now I'm getting enticed to decorate for xmas too! That's a really clever idea to add the snow monster to a Santa scene and Pumpkinpie, that's a super idea to do dino feet like that.

BTW, garden centers that carry frost cloth/landscaping weed cloth sell these giant size staples that you can anchor your frost cloth covered plants or weed fabric to the ground so the wind doesn't blow it away. I'm thinking these pins would work great to hold the foot print cloth down and would be pretty invisible. We ordered our pins from someone else but here's a company that carries them to show you what I'm talking about. http://frostproof.com/dewitt-6-x-1-x-6-11-gauge-anchor-pins-75-per-box/ We purchased DeWitt brand pins but there might be other manufacturers out there.


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## matrixmom (Oct 29, 2010)

Another good place for ideas is Ripleys Believe or not Museum displays. Google the name and look at all the strange images.


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## dawnski (Jun 16, 2012)

Those Unliving Portraits would be a touch of class for a museum themed party. Great idea!



pumpkinpie said:


> You could do a room/wall of pictures with name plates and all and include these so some appear to have come alive
> 
> 
> http://atmosfx.com/products/detail/unliving-portraits
> ...


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## pumpkinpie (Jul 9, 2011)

Here's another prop that might work for your exhibits

http://www.crackerjacktheater.com/p/dyistanchions.html?m=1


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## Surfbeatnik (Jul 23, 2013)

matrixmom said:


> Do you have more pics of 2014??? We would love to see....


I will post the pix of 2014's party this weekend, I promise! Been a bit busy with family, work, music, life!


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## Surfbeatnik (Jul 23, 2013)

Thank you all, for the great ideas and suggestions so far!


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## pumpkinpie (Jul 9, 2011)

Ohmygosh I have got to quit hijacking this thread...anyway I just saw this and thought it would b a great after party souvenir. ..all u need is some quick photo shopping skills (I'd do it with a night sky instead of daylight...and have your guests pose outside)...u can even add the date and party theme and border so it looks like a postcard


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## Ghost of Spookie (Sep 28, 2008)

We live in a two story house and one of our side yards with a lot of wall to it has a decent space before our fence with our neighbor. Last year I bought some of those Harbor Freight dinos mentioned above and have some plastic toys ones too and thought I could put them on our BBQ island in the side yard and shine a strong light on them to cast a giant shadow of dinos up and onto our two story house wall. TOTers coming to our house will see this shadow wall because of how our house is situated to the street and I thought it would be a cool effect. Depending on your set up some shadow casting might work for you on a house wall or garage doors perhaps?


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## Saki.Girl (Aug 22, 2012)

great theme love the movies


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## Ghost of Spookie (Sep 28, 2008)

Noticed one of my Harbor Freight balsa wood dino skeleton puzzles on a shelf so thought I would show the models that are out there. AT 1.39 each they are cheap enough to be used as a give away at the end of the evening.































Since these are built from "puzzle" pieces you could always take the individual pieces and enlarge them and create a bigger dino for your display.


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## Surfbeatnik (Jul 23, 2013)

matrixmom said:


> Do you have more pics of 2014??? We would love to see....


Barry DeHachet & Myra Maynze, Management of the Fair~Lane Hotel (Scare~Lane)









Ima Gonagetchzu, Head of Security for the hotel









The Dead Ringers, Hotel Entertainment









Time to Party!..at The Fair~Lane Hotel!









Plenty of power at the hotel...









I really wish some of our guests would make an effort in the costume department!









Making full use of the photo opp background 









Head of Security dealing with an unruly guest!









Do you want more?...

The upstairs maid service is very spirited indeed









Our photo pop backdrop...made from cardboard (free from Costco!) and cardboard egg cartons









Our front desk man...









Some guests of ours "retire" early in the evening!


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## matrixmom (Oct 29, 2010)

Awesome faux paint on the cardboard....your guests costumes are spectacular too. The clock adds a great touch of steam "punkness". Nice creative addition. Thanks for sharing.


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## WickedWino (Aug 19, 2012)

That looks like a fantastic party! I agree the cardboard backdrop is really well done. Great work all around! Looking forward to seeing what you come up with this year!


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## Surfbeatnik (Jul 23, 2013)

Here's a few photos from last Saturday's party!

The family in front of the museum entry








Wider shot of the entry, the skull on the right that is attached to the giant bird of paradise illuminates as the guests arrive, due to a motion sensor.








The Grand Hall
























Egyptology Room, before the food and guests arrived








Botanical Garden Room, prior to guests arrival








Entomology Department (powder room)
























Oddities and Research Department 
















Some of the costumes...


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## dawnski (Jun 16, 2012)

Your guests really made your party! It's wonderful when your friends get into the theme. Looks like it was a fabulous time for all.


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## Paint It Black (Sep 15, 2011)

Everything and Everyone looks awesome! What a great party!


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## HellsKitchenette (Oct 13, 2007)

OMG--that's fantastic!! I especially love the pinned insects!!


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