Museum of Alaska Transportation and Family Promise hostin 'Nightmare at the Museum'

The Museum of Alaska Transportation and Family Promise are teaming up again this year to bring “Nightmare at the Museum” back to the community.

A spooky walk through the museum, jumpscares throughout a haunted train and a hayride to escape a gruesome end are all to raise funds for both organizations.

“The main goal is [hosting] a community event and then helping both nonprofit organizations get some cash back in so that they can put it right back into the community,” Museum Special Events Coordinator Kate Kirkpatrick said.

The “Nightmare at the Museum” will occur every Friday and Saturday night from 6-9 p.m. until the end of October. The haunted museum and hayride costs $13 per person and is recommended for ages 13 and older. The total haunted house and hayride walkthrough takes approximately 20 minutes.

“Depends on how fast you run,” Kirkpatrick laughed.

Attendees also have the opportunity to participate in a zombie paintball shoot. Shooters pay $25 for 50 shots at a variety of zombies as they run and hide amongst a series of obstacles.

The first weekend of the haunted museum was a success, Kirkpatrick said, with over 200 people attending. There are over 50 volunteers signed up to help in various capacities throughout the month. The response so far is that this year’s event is even better and scarier than last year’s.

“The scare reactions have been hilarious,” Kirkpatrick said. “I got to scare on Saturday and it's a lot of fun.”

Family Promise provides support for families experiencing homelessness in the Mat-Su. This event will help them to continue their work to support others in the community.

On October 18, the museum will be partnering with the Mat-Su Animal Shelter for a family-friendly halloween and animal adoption event. The halloween festival will run from noon until 4 p.m. prior to the haunted museum walkthrough. The event will feature crafts and activities for the whole family to enjoy.

Events like these help the museum to get their name out in the community. Kirkpatrick explained that the museum is like a “hidden jewel” in the Valley. Partnering with local organizations helps to spread the word and benefits all parties involved.

The museum and Family Promise look forward to hosting this event each year and providing a scary-food time for the community.

“Worst thing that happens is you get a little bit scared, best thing that happens is that you just gave back to the community for two great nonprofit organizations,” Kirkpatrick said.

Those interested in volunteering for the haunted house and hayride can reach out to the museum for more information.