Allen Hopps, owner and creator of the North American Cryptid Museum (NACM) in Plano, Texas, has a message he wants everyone to hear: Our world needs monsters! He is on a quest to bring you face-to-face with our homegrown North American monsters.
As a kid who was afraid of the dark, he’s come a long way. His first love was the werewolf. The Loch Ness Monster and Bigfoot were not far behind. After decades immersed in the world of haunted houses—including Dark Hour, a year-round attraction he started with his wife—and providing costumes, monsters, and mayhem to theme parks, entertainment venues, and movie studios, Hopps knew it was time to celebrate uniquely American folklore. His decades in the “monster” industry shaped him into an expert storyteller, creating little worlds for others to experience in real time.
Traditional cryptozoology museums typically display photos, videos, and plaster casts. If you are lucky, there may be one or two life-sized figures. The NACM comes from a different angle that Hopps calls “crypto-tainment.” Hopps wanted to create an immersive experience with dozens of life-sized models, allowing guests to come face-to-face, or sometimes face-to-chest, with their favorite cryptids. Full-sized displays give visitors a better understanding of reported sightings. You get to stand in the shoes of those who reported encounters with American monsters.
Unlike many cryptid museums, this is a full-on sensory experience. Along with several takes on Bigfoot, the NACM contains classic cryptids like Wisconsin’s terrifying Beast of Bray Road, West Virginia’s Mothman, Canada’s skeletal Wendigo, and the hairy, bipedal star of the famous film The Legend of Boggy Creek (1972). There are also lesser-known cryptids, such as the Beast of Bear Creek, and two emerging versions of the Chupacabra. More cryptids and more rooms are regularly added to the collection. You can even search for your favorite monster.
For cryptid fans, this is a thrilling experience. Hopps prefers hairy bipeds like Bigfoot or dogmen, but his place has so much more to offer.
“Monsters are vital in all cultures, both as teaching tools and sources of imagination,” Hopps shared. “Monsters help us feel alive and prepare us for potential dangers. They represent things we’ve created or aspects of ourselves.”
The rapidly evolving NACM is sure to bring a thrilling encounter with cryptids to believers and skeptics alike. Expect an experience that is equal parts creepy, campy, mysterious, and fun.