Entry No. 6 — the Pittsburgh file — filed under: weird private museum
The Living Dead Museum
A museum and gift shop celebrating zombies in pop culture, packed with movie props, memorabilia, and a 'Maul of Fame' featuring celebrity handprints.
The story
In 1978, George A. Romero transformed Monroeville Mall into the ultimate backdrop for bloody consumerist satire while shooting Dawn of the Dead. Today, if you navigate past routine suburban storefronts at 248 Monroeville Mall, you'll stumble into a dedicated shrine operating directly on the holy ground where Francine and Flynn fought off the undead.
The museum gathers screen-used props, behind-the-scenes set artifacts, and decades of zombie pop-culture memorabilia under one roof. Its signature fixture is the 'Maul of Fame'—a wall featuring celebrity handprints cast in plaster and concrete by the actors, practical-FX artists, and horror royalty who made the pilgrimage back to Monroeville.
What it's like
Stepping out of a quiet mall hallway into a cavernous vault of horror memorabilia is delightfully surreal. You'll browse cases of screen props, life-sized undead figures, and gift shop shelves crammed with obscure horror merch. The vibe is entirely fan-fueled and local, though mall corridors can be unpredictable—always verify their current operating hours online before you make the drive out to Monroeville.
The move: Pay your respects to George A. Romero's legacy by checking out actual screen-used props from Dawn of the Dead right inside the mall where the classic film was shot.
- 📍 Monroeville
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 248 Monroeville Mall, Monroeville, PA 15146
Hours: Added 2026-07-21 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Trundle Manor — Pair cinematic zombie props with a guided tour of a real-life gothic cabinet of curiosities filled with taxidermy and jarred specimens.
- The Carrie Deer — Follow up a cult movie pilgrimage with a trip to see a secret 40-foot-tall deer head built covertly on industrial land nearby.
- The Murrysville Tree Sign — Balance the indoor shopping mall horror with a quick drive to view an 850-foot-long living tree sign grown on a hillside in 1933.
Good to know
Why is the museum located inside Monroeville Mall?
Monroeville Mall was the primary filming location for George A. Romero's 1978 film Dawn of the Dead, placing the museum directly inside horror cinema history.
What is the 'Maul of Fame'?
It's an ongoing tribute gallery featuring hand impressions and signatures from notable horror directors, actors, and crew members.
What features are inside the museum space?
The venue combines a private exhibition space containing screen-used film props and memorabilia with an extensive horror-themed gift shop.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · Atlas Obscura · monroevillezombies.com · discovertheburgh.com · Reddit
last checked: 2026-07-21