If you’ve followed this blog for a while, you’ll know that museums are one of my favorite things in the world. Our family trips often revolve around a museum, I write for a museum (the Perot in Dallas), and I even have a dedicated list on this blog for the museums that have moved me in some way or another.

With Halloween only a few days away, I thought I would write about a unique museum that’s right here in the DFW area, where I’m located. While I tend to go with museums of a historical nature, this one deals with folklore. The North American Cryptid Museum is a standalone attraction within the larger Dark Hour haunted house complex.

True to its name, the museum features 60+ full-scale recreations of legendary creatures, monsters, and myths that originate from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. More are added all the time, including the famous Flatwood Monster from West Virginia, which was added only a few weeks ago. You really have to see the craftsmanship for yourself; the pictures I have here don’t begin to do the cryptids justice.

Each cryptid model was created using eye-witness accounts and descriptions to give it an eerily authentic feel. Each entry has information displayed that details where the cryptid has been sighted in the past, its characteristics, and other interesting facts that even those pretty well-versed in folklore may not know. For instance, did you know that there are two Native American cryptids that merely reading or speaking their names is considered really bad? Beyond just simple bad luck, it’s tantamount to invoking them and possibly drawing their attention.

Which two are they, you ask? Well, apparently changing the names slightly or hinting at them is okay. The first one has a very famous (and weird) ranch named after it that featured in a recent TV show. The second one starts with “when” and ends with “go.”

The other thing I like about the museum is the healthy dose of skepticism in debunking or explaining claims made about various cryptids. For a museum like this one, it would be pretty easy to fall into the ‘folklore presented as fact’ trope. While the exhibits do present first-hand accounts, it’s clear that not all sightings are equal. The Rangers that guide the guests through the tour (mine was named Ranger John, though Ranger Kitt also assisted me) are quick to point out when certain things didn’t add up or were contradictory.

Of course, some cryptid sightings can be explained away, such as certain documented El Chupacabra sightings, while others have more substance to them, as in the case of the Pale Crawler that hopped into the back of a pick-up truck in North Carolina. The driver initially thought that he spotted someone standing on the side of the road who was bleeding (and curiously dressed in a Civil War uniform), so he called 911, and was on the phone  when the encounter happened. If you want to hear the call itself, I’ll link it here. Be warned though — this encounter is one of the more unsettling ones on record.

If there’s a particular cryptid that you find interesting, from Mothman to the Jersey Devil, the Hat Man to the GOAT himself, Bigfoot, it’s almost certainly represented here in one form or another.

If you are in, or passing through, the DFW area, the North American Cryptid Museum is an excellent way to get into the spooky folklore of the season. And if you just can’t get enough of that sweet Halloween vibe, the Dark Hour haunted house is literally in the same building. Trust me, you’ll be glad you did.

Thanks for reading, and have a Happy Halloween!

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