BORIS KARLOFF WAX MUSEUM - Niagara Falls

[Mike Scott]

As to whether the Karloff family knew of the museums existence, Here is an old Heritage catalog listing of a lot of condolence telegrams to Mrs. Karloff, from Feb. 1969. One is from R. F. Dunham, manager of the Boris Karloff Museum in Niagara Falls.

[Monsters For Sale]

So at least the family was aware of its existence - whether or not they approved or had any involvement is still uncertain.

Anyone here in correspondence with Sara Karloff?  Maybe she could shed some light on this place.

[Mike Scott]

So at least the family was aware of its existence - whether or not they approved or had any involvement is still uncertain.

I'm thinking I wouldn't have sent the telegram, if they didn't approve.

[Monster Bob]

The place was totally over the table with Karloff. There is no mystery here.

[Mike Scott]

The place was totally over the table with Karloff.

That makes sense.

[williamlitzler]

My parents took me to Niagara Falls around 1970.  After a lot of begging, my parents dropped me off at the Wax Museum.  As I recall, it was attached to a hotel.

I bought my ticket in the lobby and looked at entry to the museum.  I was all blinged out in cobwebs, skeletons, and other scary s**t.

Well, I was to afraid to enter.  I stood in the lobby for an hour and waited for my ride. 

When my parents showed up, I made up a complete description of the museum. 

I still have the brochure, somewhere.

[Mike Scott]

When my parents showed up, I made up a complete description of the museum. 

Welcome to the UMA, William!

Great story! I hope you were able to see it at a later time.

[Pat]

Went to Niagra Falls a few times as a kid in the 70s and i loved the wax museums. Also remember a Houdini museum.

[horrorhunter]

I would have loved to visit the Boris Karloff Wax Museum, but never got up there.

We had the World Of The Unexplained (previously Dr. Gardner's Museum Of Witchcraft And Magic) in Gatlinburg, Tn. My dad and I went to Gatlinburg every month or two back in the late '70s/early '80s, and I always had to go to the World Of The Unexplained for at least an hour every time. Loved the place.



http://legendtrippersofamerica.blogspot.com/2013/11/ripleys-world-of-unexplained-1972-1985.html

[Lazarus]

I seem to remember an ad for something with the Karloff branding on it from my trip up the east coast of the US around 2000.  I want to say it in a brochure we got in Salem, MA?  I wish I'd kept that stuff.

[Monsters For Sale]

...

Brochure 2 - Folded:




Brochure 2 - Interior:


...

Picked up one of these folders.  Here are better images:

Exterior



Interior

[Monsters For Sale]

Here's another Brochure:


Boris Karloff Wax Museum - Oakes Drive Motel - Buchanan Ave. - Niagara Falls, Canada - Brochure - Style 5 - A - Exterior (Folded)



Exterior (Open)



Interior


Sorry about the poor images - Best I have found, so far.

[The Cantankerous Collector]

My family went to Niagara Falls on the Canada side a couple of times during the early 1980s. I remember a Frankenstein museum, a Dracula museum and a Houdini museum. I toured the Houdini museum one visit but not the other two. I wonder now if the Karloff museum is what I remember as the Frankenstein museum. Weird, because I don't remember there being any emphasis on Karloff. I remember figure and diorama style exhibits in glass displays along the street to entice the tourists to enter. They looked pretty scary. Even the Houdini museum gave off a scary vibe. The prices seemed expensive at the time to all of these places. No one in my family was ever interested in going through any of these but me. I thought they were so cool and always regretted not experiencing them. The whole Niagara Fall experience was great and leaving the Falls and walking toward this strip and discovering these places was so cool. I think they also had a Ripleys museum across the street. I wish my memory was better.

[Monsters For Sale]

The House of Frankenstein Wax Museum has a Lake George, New York address and looks like this:

[marsattacks666]

Scored another brochure from this museum.  It is 9" X 8" - or 9" X 4" folded.  No year on the darned thing.  But it does give a tiny glimpse of the interior.


Brochure - Style 4 - Folded:




Interior:




Exterior:

Really cool.