Halloween wouldn’t be complete without a trip to the National Museum of Funeral History in Houston, Texas.
Two October Halloween events, the Museum’s annual family-friendly Haunted House and the 9th Annual Halloween Classic Car Show, are sure to please. Then, the fun continues into early November with a Day of the Dead/Dia de los Muertos celebration.
Families will have a spooktacular time wandering through the Museum’s annual kid-friendly Haunted House, open from October 1 through November 2. Explore different scenes designed to give goose bumps to young and old alike while taking a light-hearted view of a usually very serious subject. The house is rated PG-13 and is recommended for children ages 12 and up. Children under 12 are welcome, but must be accompanied by an adult. Parents are encouraged to go through the haunted house first to make sure it will be enjoyable for their little ones.
The Haunted House is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., on Saturday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and on Sunday from 12 – 5 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for kids age 11 and under. Tickets are half price when purchased with Museum admission. Bring the whole family and make a day of it!
On Saturday, October 22 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., the Museum will host the 9th Annual Halloween Classic Car Show. Come out and see more than 150 cars from classic to contemporary, from motorized to hoof, while helping to support local charities. Enjoy the fall festival atmosphere, including face painting and arts and crafts for the kids, great food from local vendors, a live DJ, silent auction and more.
Children attending the event can trick or treat from car trunk to car trunk as families enjoy the Halloween-themed cars. Everyone is encouraged to wear Halloween costumes to this one-day only event.
It’s not only car show attendees who will be dressed up on October 22. Cars will be decorated for Halloween as well. And any car is welcome to participate and compete for a chance to win the “best decorated” award. Blast from the Past Street Machines of Texas will judge the car show from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in a variety of categories, including “best decorated” and present awards at 3 p.m. Pre-registration is recommended.
Car show admission is $3 per person or $5 per couple/family and does not include admission into the Museum. Proceeds from the 9th Annual Halloween Classic Car Show go to Star of Hope, Morning Glory Ranch, The Shriner’s Burn Hospital, Houston Food Bank, DePelchin Children’s Center and The USO. General admission rates for the Museum still apply.
On Saturday, November 5, from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Museum admission includes celebrations and activities near the Day of the Dead/Dia de los Muertos exhibition, complete with storytelling, costumes, ceramic skull painting, sweet treats and more.
Visitors can marvel at the exquisite artistry and touching tributes of Dia de los Muertos, the colorful religious celebration honoring deceased loved ones, which is practiced by Meso-American cultures.
Explore the traditions of Dia de los Muertos via full-scale models of a traditional Mexican home and graveyard, as they would typically appear during this celebration, and a customary ofrenda (memorial tables or altars) featuring decorative elements to honor their loved ones and items to be “enjoyed” by the deceased.
Each year, the Museum celebrates the holiday with a special community altar where visitors are encouraged to bring and leave mementos of their loved ones and authentic ofrendas decorated with photos, candles, flowers, breads and other memorial objects. The altars will be on display throughout the month of November.