Must-See AV is our monthly exploration of the best audiovisual attractions around the world. We pick a city and tell you what you have to check out if you're into all things AV. If you missed it, check out our previous installment where we head to Tokyo!

October is the perfect month for AV tech and immersive experiences. Afterall, the best way to seriously scare your audience is to give them a show that stirs all the senses. There are countless Halloween light shows, high-tech haunted houses, and spooky extended reality experiences all over the country that will appeal to even the most hard-to-haunt horror fans. So grab your masks and flashlights and let’s dive into the coolest AV attractions in the US happening throughout the Halloween season.

Halloween Nights at Eastern State Penitentiary (Philadelphia, PA)

Is there anything scarier than an abandoned historic prison? Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia has accomplished it, with their Halloween Nights event. While the prison hasn’t been fully operational since 1970, it has been a historic site and museum since 1994. The former prison now invites scare-chasers to experience an immersive treat, complete with impressive audiovisual technology.

Beginning with the sound design, the halls of ESP are filled with unsettling ambient noise like whispers, footsteps, and eerie music. There is also an optional 20-minute self-guided audio tour that features the voices of former inmates and workers, narrated by the legendary Steve Buscemi. Some of the coolest light effects can be found in “Kaleidoscope Hall” where a projection light show illuminates the walls and vaulted ceilings. Ghostly figures and shadows are projection mapped onto the prison’s architecture, and without giving too much away, many of the installations play on the spooky history of the site.

Netherworld Haunted House (Stone Mountain, GA)

If the detailed costumes and creatures are your favorite part of a Halloween experience, Netherworld might be the perfect haunt for you. Now in its 28th season, the famous haunted house in Georgia has been deemed a “Hollywood-Caliber Haunted Mecca” by the Travel Channel. The designs are on par with blockbuster horror films, and the special effects are just as over-the-top. While the experience changes every year, the immersion is guaranteed, and it all comes together with advanced sound, lighting, and projection mapping tech.

The sophisticated sound systems deliver multi-channel audio tracks, playing ambient sounds, theatrical scores, and sudden noises to heighten your senses and put you on edge. The cacophony of crashes and screams pair perfectly with the projection mapped interior. Rooms are transformed with dynamic moving imagery that are disorienting, to say the least. Lighting effects are also utilized to make certain areas appear more expansive or claustrophobic, depending on what type of scare the room elicits. Netherworld utilizes its AV technologies not just as enhancements, but as core elements of the show. The whole package creates a sensory-engaging experience that’s both terrifying and artistically impressive — and they come up with fresh ideas every year!

Recommended: Must-See AV: New York City

The Darkness (St. Louis, MO)

The name doesn’t tell you much, but what’s left to the imagination can often be scarier than what’s in the light. The Darkness utilizes a combination of traditional scare tactics such as live actors in elaborate costumes, animatronic creatures, and unexpected audio-visual effects to keep visitors on edge. Famous for its intricate and realistic set designs, the builders of The Darkness pay careful attention to every detail, creating compelling, immersive environments that transport guests into different horror-themed worlds.

The visual treats at this experience go beyond fog machines and glowing eyes — but it has those too, of course. The environments are brought to life by strategic and synchronized lights, projection mapped surfaces and structures, and gruesome imagery and animations. One particular section has featured a witch trial theme, complete with an elaborate light display that makes the entire room appear to be on fire. Many claim The Darkness has the most animatronics of any haunted experience in the world, and they are far from basic. It is truly a must-see for those who love impressive tech and seriously scary haunted attractions.

Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor (Long Beach, CA)

If you’re not familiar with the Queen Mary, it’s an ocean liner with a storied past. Originally a passenger ship, Mary was a symbol of wealth and elegance — until it was converted into a troopship during World War II. After the war, she went back to shipping passengers until the late 60s, when the city of Long Beach purchased the liner. Mary permanently dropped her anchor and became a hotel and museum, and most importantly for haunt hunters, an amazing Halloween experience. The yearly event spawns from reports that the ship is indeed haunted, as many staff and visitors have reported seeing ghosts, hearing strange noises, or feeling temperature shifts.

The AV technology used on the Queen Mary at Halloween is integral to the spooky experience. Starting with the sound, hi-fi surround sound systems and directional audio are used to create immersive soundscapes, playing ambient noises like creaking metal, ghostly whispers, or sea sounds. High-tech animatronics are placed throughout the mazes and ship to deliver lifelike motions, allowing creatures to suddenly spring to life. Projection mapping is used to transform static surfaces of the ship and surrounding areas into dynamic, animated canvases that can simulate movement, textures, and special effects. There are also many creative uses of lighting, from the strobe lights and colored spotlights to dynamic lighting effects that respond interactively to guest movements.

Gallows Hill Museum/Theatre (Salem, MA)

Hop on your broomstick — It wouldn’t be Halloween without a trip to Salem. While the historic city typically leans into the more classic haunts, there is some impressive tech at Gallows Hill Museum and Theatre. The attraction is named after the historic Gallows Hill area in Salem, reputedly a site linked with the executions of those accused during the witch trials, though its historical accuracy is debated.

There are two parts to the Gallows Hill experience: an interactive stage show in the theater and the lost museum, an interactive haunted adventure. The show combines live actors with virtual ghouls — some created through projection mapping and others as holograms within the walls and windows of the theater. There are laser-shooting witches and massive glowy-eyed creatures that you can expect to pull you into the show when you least expect it. The museum is a guide-led experience that takes you through a collection of curiosities. The trip includes animatronics, living portraits, fire and smoke effects, and glowy light shows that will make you truly feel like you were dropped into the infamous Salem of the 17th century.

Looking for more AV Halloween Haunts? Check out this episode of AV Reacts!