A peek inside
The House of Frankenstein

A sneak peek inside The House of Frankenstein

We’ve been lucky enough to take a sneak peek inside Bath’s electrifying new attraction.
The House of Frankenstein, which opened on Monday 19 July, is the world’s first attraction dedicated to author Mary Shelley and her creation, Frankenstein. Blurring the lines between museum and immersive visitor experience, the attraction, set in a Grade II listed property, extends over four atmospheric floors including its dank foreboding basement experience.

So, turn your sound up, sit back and enjoy the movie – be warned, it’s a scream!
Book your tickets here: houseoffrankenstein.com

Many will know the story of Victor Frankenstein and his terrifying creation born out of assorted body parts, strange chemicals and a mysterious spark …

But less known is the full tragic story behind the young female author and pioneer of the science-fiction genre, who began writing ‘Frankenstein’ aged just 18 in 1816 – and how she really envisioned the now legendary monster, a wholly different creature to the flat-topped, green skinned beast we think of today.

For the very first time, the much-anticipated new visitor experience will tell the full story behind the genesis of Shelley’s novel. Blurring the lines between museum and immersive experience, the attraction will commemorate the legacy of her work across four atmospheric floors, uncovering:

Mary Shelley’s complex past – a precocious talent and unusual interests reveal a chilling insight into the author’s exceptional mind. Retrace the tragic events and radical scientific thinking that fermented in Mary’s imagination before her trip to the Villa Diodati in Geneva, where she conjured the first fragments of her monster in her infamous “waking dream”.

The monster as Mary imagined – come face to face with the centrepiece of Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein, in Victor Frankenstein’s laboratory. Brought to life by Europe’s leading producer of film animatronics and special effects, multi-BAFTA award-winning Millennium FX will recreate Mary Shelley’s monster exactly as she imagined it in the novel. Since Boris Karloff’s powerful portrayal of the lumbering creature in the classic 1931 film, Frankenstein, now one the most instantly cognisable and copied cultural icons on the planet, there has been a bewildering array of equally unfaithful interpretations of Shelley’s monster. That is, until now…

A dank, foreboding basement – dare to explore the eerie underbelly of the house. Dark alcoves, cellars and vaults, paired with intense audio and visual effects and scenes of a disturbing nature, provide a disorientating and unnerving horror walk-through experience.

Frankenstein in popular culture – Frankenstein-fanatics that like their monster toweringly tall, grotesquely green and with electrodes on his neck, will also not be disappointed, with Frankenstein in popular culture unpacked in its own dedicated floor bursting with vintage memorabilia and props, and a gift shop with unique and bizarre collector items.

What to expect

Featuring ominous music and unsettling soundscapes, temperature control, aromas, lighting and special effects, electric shocks, projections, props, unusual artefacts, and vintage items throughout, Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein will aim to deliver a scarily immersive, unnervingly thrilling and visceral experience.

Chris Harris, Co-Founder of Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein reveals, “Few realise that Mary Shelley wrote much of her iconic novel while living in Bath over 200 years ago. We are excited to mark this historical connection to the city and commemorate her life in a way that has never been seen before. With a bizarre collection of memorabilia, set within a chilling immersive experience, we can’t wait to open our doors”.

houseoffrankenstein.com