Can't Look Away: The Lure of Horror Film 

Maybe it shouldn't be surprising that many of the horror movie props in this basement exhibition space come from the personal collection of Paul Allen, who's both a huge movie buff and the EMP-SFM's founder and chief benefactor. Helping select the costumes, film clips, movie posters, and monster models were directors John Landis, Roger Corman, and Eli Roth. The various artifact and replicas on display aren't too scary for kids ("They're PG-13, not R," quipped curator Jacob McMurray.) You want to see more of the vintage posters, especially for some of Corman's cheapo horror flicks. (There's Jack Nicholson billed in small type for 1963's The Raven, which top-lined Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, and Boris Karlof. A decade later, he'd star in The Shining--and, look, there's his axe!) There's some small educational component, too, especially in a wall-size timeline running from The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari all the way up to Paranormal Activity. Along the way, befitting Allen's background in tech, we see the advent of VHS (1975) and DVDs (1995), which is how most cult films are experienced today. And though you may not agree with every title cited in "100 Horror Movies to See Before You Die," the list may inspire a visit to Scarecrow after you leave the museum. BRIAN MILLER

Price: $14-$20